FF1 (2).txt

Chapter 19: Box Of Lies
Back in Plaintry, the sun rises in all its splendor over the little town. The streets are beginning to stir. As usual. Nothing really changes in Plaintry. At least, not on the surface.
Underneath, things are a whole lot more complicated.
The mortal townspeople go about their lives. Schools remain closed due to recent happenings and the fact that people (children included) haven't fully processed it yet.
It's still too raw, too painful.
The day seems gloomier than usual. Occasional bicycle bells ring here and there. A few cars whiz by on the streets. There's a sense of urgency in the air, but no one's quite sure what it's all about.
For now, all appears well.
The Kindred slumber like corpses as the great ball of fire in the sky beams down on their Havens.
The vampires sleep away their worries and concerns. Their day "dreams" are mixed.
Meanwhile, Torvald stirs in his sleep. His abdomen still hurts like hell.
Gunnar did his best to close the wound, but Torvald feels an infection starting to brew. He doesn't have much time to think about that, though.
He has bigger things on his mind.
Torvald groans and turns on his bed as he tries to focus on what lies ahead.
In the blink of an eye, he finds himself back in that familiar place. He looks around, but can't see anyone else.
The Umbra.
He looks up at the pitch-black sky, devoid of any stars or moons. He can't even see the sun. Just an empty blackness stretching on forever and ever.
The ground is still wet from the last time he was here.
A purple haze surrounds his feet and then rises up his body, eventually obscuring him completely.
It's as if he's being absorbed.
His heart pounds as his wound acts up again.
He leans on a nearby rock and winces, "Neuken (NL: Fuck)!" He grits his teeth and clutches his side.
He closes his eyes and takes a few deep breaths. He tells himself, "Breathe. Just...breathe. There, that's it."
The strange canyon he finds himself in is vast and otherworldly.
The walls are jagged and rocky. The ground is uneven. The whole place is shrouded in a deep purple haze.
There's a strange humming noise and the air seems to be charged with spiritual energy like no other.
Torvald can feel the very hairs on his arm stand on edge as he starts walking.
He feels pulled to something, no, someone. He feels a great power summoning him. Something far beyond him.
He keeps going, deeper and deeper into the mysterious landscape.
A voice calls out, "Torvald. Torvald. Torvald," 3 times, each time for more intense than the last.
Torvald calls back, "I'm here. Where are you?" He doesn't sound scared. He's trying his best to maintain a brave face, but he's definitely feeling nervous.
"Follow the stream, oh, Warrior Of Gaia. You will find the way."
Torvald's eyes dart around. He can't find the source of the voice. He has no idea where it's coming from.
"Where are you?"
"The stream. Follow it. Do not tarry."
Torvald looks around and eventually spots a flowing stream at the very bottom of the canyon.
He gulps and makes his way down the cliff. The water's surface is bubbling and boiling, yet, somehow, it is crystal clear.
The Fenrir bends down (with some difficulty) to scoop some water in his hands. He tastes the strange liquid and finds it mildly sour.
He gulps it down anyway.
The water soothes his sore throat and gives him a warm and fuzzy feeling. He didn't realize how parched he is.
After a few minutes of following the stream, he comes upon an open ground. It's not much, but it's something.
He crouches down to feel the mossy ground and rubs his fingers together.
It feels...odd. It's like the ground itself is made up of tiny living creatures. They wriggle around under his fingers and give off a faint glow.
The Fenrir stands up and looks around, trying his best to see beyond the strange haze.
A being as tall as many stories towers over him. The being looks humanoid, but the body is all wrong. It's more of a hybrid.
A giant, towering, hybrid figure.
Its 6 hands are as large as a skyscraper and its narrow head is obscured by a bright light.
The being lets out a gentle, otherworldly hum, "Come closer, Torvald. We have much to discuss."
The giant Spirit being's body is covered in what looks like dry molasses, but it is actually a thick, translucent shell of some kind.
The being extends 2 of its hands towards him, beckoning him to come closer.
Torvald gulps and approaches the being. The Fenrir gets on 1 knee and lowers his head in reverence.
The being looks down at the Fenrir and continues, "I have been expecting you."
Torvald gulps and nods his head, "Y--You have?"
The Spirit being continues, "I am called many names, but you may call me...Tsuu'thux."
Torvald initially struggles to say its name, "Ts-uu...th-ux."
Tsuu'thux says, "And you must be Torvald, of the Get Of Fenris. We have much to discuss, young Fenrir."
Torvald stays on 1 knee as he grits his teeth when he feels another wave of pain rush through him.
Tsuu'thux's voice is a gentle and soothing one, "The pain will pass in time."
Torvald looks up at the Guardian Spirit and sees its body shift and move as if it were alive.
It is like nothing the Fenrir has ever seen before.
Torvald is overwhelmed, to say the least, but he continues, "Why am I here, Tsuu'thux?"
"I have known much pain, young Fenrir. The Caern I was bound to was recently destroyed, so now I am as a ship- adrift. Without a direction. It has been a long time since I have spoken to a Warrior Of Gaia."
Torvald stands up, but keeps his head lowered in shame, "I am no Warrior. I--I am but a pawn in someone else's game."
Tsuu'thux's eyes (of which it has many) focus on the young Fenrir, "I sense great...uncertainty within you..."
Torvald exhales, "We did terrible things, Tsuu'thux."
His lips quiver as he continues, "In the name of fighting the Wyrm's taint, we--we--" His voice cracks.
Tsuu'thux remains quiet as it lets the young Fenrir compose himself.
It eventually speaks, its voice echoing throughout the canyon, "You are correct, young Fenrir. What you and your Pack did is heinous. You have committed an abhorrent crime and it cannot be undone."
Torvald nervously gulps, "As the leader of the Pack, I take full responsibility. I should have known better, Tsuu'thux."
Tsuu'thux calmly replies, "The responsibility falls on all members of the Pack equally. You are no different."
Torvald keeps his head lowered, "I am not worthy of leading the Pack, Tsuu'thux. I--"
Tsuu'thux's stern voice cuts him off, "That is indeed correct, but your friend with 1 eye is in no position to lead, either."
Torvald says, "Gunnar...he is a good man."
Tsuu'thux goes on, "Of that, I have no doubt. However, he has no idea of the pain and suffering he has inflicted upon the world. The Wyrm's poison is slowly tempting him into the depths, young Fenrir."
Torvald sighs, "I understand that, Tsuu'thux."
He goes on, "Gunnar is right about 1 thing, though."
"And, what would that be?"
Torvald hesitates for a moment, "A--A Sept will have to judge me accordingly."
Tsuu'thux's voice is firm, "Perhaps. Perhaps not. Your crimes are great, young Fenrir. The Council Of Elders will decide your fate, but I do not expect them to show leniency, and neither should you."
Torvald keeps his head lowered, "I expected no less."
Tsuu'thux looks down at him and asks, "Do you know how my Caern fell?"
Torvald looks up and shakes his head.
Tsuu'thux simply replies, "The Black Spiral Dancers."
Torvald's eyes widen as he tries to piece together what he's hearing, "What? But--"
"Do not be so quick to make bold assumptions about the Wyrm-Wolves."
Torvald remarks, "They stand against everything that we fight for..."
"Indeed. That is because they have been seduced by the Wyrm. Their hatred has consumed them. They have fallen into a pit of madness and evil."
The Fenrir's eyes dart around as he thinks about what he's hearing.
Tsuu'thux continues, "Unfortunately, their...ideas are gaining traction amongst many younger Garou, young Fenrir. These are dark times for our kind."
Torvald slowly nods, "I am afraid for the future of our people, Tsuu'thux."
The Guardian Spirit nods its narrow head, "I fear an entire generation of Garou may be lost to the doctrines of the Dancers."
Torvald shakes his head, "No, no, no. Not possible!"
Tsuu'thux says, "You still see the light in our dying world, young Fenrir. I am glad that you do."
"But, how can we save and protect Gaia when Jormungandr is so strong?"
Tsuu'thux's gentle voice goes a bit more firm, "You must not lose sight of your goal, young Fenrir. Tell me, which Fenrir Camp do you pledge your allegiance to?"
Torvald responds, "I am with The Fangs Of Garm, so that at the time of the Apocalypse, we can stand together as 1 people."
Tsuu'thux's many eyes stare straight at the Fenrir, "Most interesting."
Torvald apprehensively takes a few steps back, "Why am I here, Tsuu'thux?"
"You know why, young Fenrir."
Torvald shakes his head, "I have nothing to offer you, Tsuu'thux. N--Nothing at all. Of my Pack, only we 4 remain- myself, Gunnar, Anja, and Emi."
Tears begin to stream down his cheeks, "Gus and his entire family are dead. What have I to offer you? What CAN I offer you?"
Tsuu'thux's body shimmers, "I see your potential. What you and your Pack has done is unforgivable, but I am willing to help you mend your broken soul, young Fenrir."
Torvald narrows his eyes, "I don't understand. Help mend my soul? How?"
"I can offer you a chance at redemption, young Fenrir. A chance to right that which is wrong."
"Pfft. That's impossible, Tsuu'thux. We've all seen the state of the world. There is no redemption."
The Spirit's eyes are like deep pits, "Perhaps. Perhaps not. Do not give in to despair so quickly, young Fenrir."
"I can't do this, Tsuu'thux. I--I simply can't. I have lost too much, I have failed too much, I--"
Tsuu'thux interrupts him, "I am not asking you to do this alone, young Fenrir. The path that you follow is fraught with peril."
Torvald puts his hand on the back of his neck, "We...we came to this country to fight the Jormungandr, instead I fear we have strengthened its corrupting influence."
He goes on, "All I have is trouble raging inside of me, Tsuu'thux. My soul is a stained mess. I--I don't deserve redemption."
Tsuu'thux's voice is gentle and firm, "Do not despair, Torvald. Your time to face justice will come, until then, I will help you as much as I can. You are not alone."
The Guardian Spirit looks around the canyon, "Your Pack is not the only one affected by the corruption of the Wyrm, young Fenrir. Many Packs continue to fall all over the world."
"But--"
Tsuu'thux says, "And yet, we cannot lose hope."
Torvald huffs, "You're quite the optimist, yes?"
The many eyes of Tsuu'thux stare at the young Fenrir. Its form begins to glow, bright and orange. It begins to radiate some sort of energy.
With its 6 hands stretched out to the sides, Tsuu'thux asks, "Will you let me guide you on your quest to redeem yourself and your Pack?"
Torvald furrows his brow, "What--what do you have in mind?"
The pain in his side causes him to grunt in agony, "We...We--" He holds his side and winces. He quickly gets his breathing under control. He tries not to fall. He wants to stay strong.
He doesn't want to be weak. Not now, and definitely not in front of Tsuu'thux.
Tsuu'thux lets out an ear-piercing groan of its own. Torvald is momentarily stunned by the sheer volume and intensity of it. He quickly covers his ears.
The Guardian Spirit's many hands clench into tight fists as its form continues to radiate with a powerful orange glow.
"AAAAAAARGH! What are you doing, Tsuu'thux?! St--Stop!"
The Spirit eventually subsides and gently says, "I apologize, young Fenrir. But my power...it wanes." It sounds a lot more strained now.
Torvald remarks, "Godverdomme (NL: God damn it). If your power wanes, how can you help us?"
The Spirit lets out something that sounds like a pained laugh, "I can guide you as best as I can, young Fenrir. But you will have to do the rest."
Torvald asks, "How?" He slowly gets back on 1 knee.
The Guardian Spirit releases another massive ear-piercing screech.
Torvald grits his teeth as he prepares for the worst of it.
A dying Spirit offering aid to a fallen Pack. How...pitiful.
As the roar of the Spirit fades away, the Fenrir hears something. Something that sounds like a low, distant growl.
He looks around, trying his best to see through the strange purple haze.
Tsuu'thux immediately gets Torvald's attention, "My strength wanes as I drift through this void. Nevertheless, I remain steadfast and unyielding; to give in to Jormungandr would be the height of foolishness."
Torvald nods, "Right. So, how are you going to help me?" He has to be more than a little bit cautious.
Tsuu'thux says, "The Wyrm-tainted blood leeches remain in the town you find yourselves in."
"I know that."
"Then you are also aware that you have been their...pawns ever since you were in Japan?"
Torvald lowers his head, shamed, "Yes. Only now do I realize that, Tsuu'thux." There is regret and shame in his voice.
"Then you are ready to take on the challenge that I will present to you, young Fenrir."
"What do you have in mind, Tsuu'thux? I would hardly call the 4 of us a Pack. Besides, I no longer lead them."
Torvald swallows a lump in his throat and goes on, "Gunnar leads the Pack now, but..."
"He injuries are severe, Torvald."
Torvald looks up at the Spirit, "Then, the next logical choice for Pack leader would be...Anja."
"I despise the Red Talons, young Fenrir."
Torvald shrugs, "Well, it's not like Anja can help such a thing."
"No. What about the Glass Walker. Emi. Is...she capable?"
Torvald vigorously shakes his head, "She's only 19!"
Tsuu'thux goes on, "Then, YOU must assume the mantle of leadership once more."
Torvald is taken aback, "Wait, no! I don't deserve that, Tsuu'thux."
Tsuu'thux lets out another pained laugh, "What you do or do not 'deserve' is for another time. Until you have rectified that which is wrong, your path is unclear. You and your Pack must find a way to fix things, young Fenrir."
Torvald's eyes dart around, "I can't just return and tell them what to do, Tsuu'thux. Emi is scared. Anja refuses to speak to me, and Gunnar is..."
He takes a few moments to compose himself, "Gunnar is in deep pain. He wants to fight Jormungandr, but the pain..."
Tsuu'thux simply replies, "Yes. And what of your pain, Torvald?"
Torvald clutches his side and simply tells the Spirit, "I--I'll live. It's not as bad as it looks."
"The Wyrm-tainted blood leech who led you into that ambush knew what you were."
"Unfortunately, yes. The silver. It stung like nothing else." Torvald winces as he recalls the ambush.
"Gus and his family communed with me. They did not deserve such an unjust end."
Torvald furrows his brow and says, "But, why would he do such a thing? There has to be a reason. Maybe..."
Tsuu'thux shakes its head, "You were being used, young Fenrir. Even now, you deny that which is evident. I cannot force you to face it, however."
Torvald's expression darkens, "If only I had known better and exercised caution, then--"
Tsuu'thux interjects, "The pity you feel for yourself will do you no good, young Fenrir. You have been wounded, but you have not fallen. You have not given up. And you will not. Not while your Pack is in dire straits."
Torvald wryly says, "You mean what remains of my Pack? What can 4 of us do against a hail of silver bullets?"
The Guardian Spirit raises its voice, "To give in now, would be to concede to Jormungandr. To concede to the Wyrm. Is that what has become of the Warriors Of Gaia?"
Torvald lowers his head and shakes it, "No, no, Tsuu'thux."
He then adds, "The Wyrm is a cancer on Gaia's skin."
"It is worse than mere cancer. Even now, I feel Gaia burning. Fires rage in all corners of our world. Gaia chokes on the fumes of avarice. She writhes in pain."
Tsuu'thux lowers its voice, "The balance is tipping, young Fenrir. Gaia grows sick, and with it, all who inhabit her, from the lowliest maggot to the mightiest of beasts."
Torvald nods his head, "I know, Tsuu'thux. I know."
The Spirit simply replies, "You know I am right. You and your Pack have done horrible things, but now is the time to cleanse the stain."
Torvald scoffs, "What stain?"
"The stain that the Wyrm has left on you and your Pack. The stain of the blood leeches in the town of Plaintry."
"Where? How? I don't know if that man was even from here. I have nothing to go on with, Tsuu'thux."
"Do not underestimate the reach of the Wyrm, young Fenrir. The blood leeches have spread their taint across the town."
Torvald, feeling a bit frustrated, points a finger at the Guardian Spirit and exclaims, "Then, just tell me how to fix this, Tsuu'thux! Enough riddles!"
"That is for you to decide, young Fenrir. Your strength is the only thing that can perhaps save you, and your Pack. My strength, however, fades as the void takes hold."
Torvald sighs and takes a few steps closer, "So, you're basically saying you can't tell me the full extent of what you know. Fine. Fine."
"I am saying that with my strength, my memory is impaired. I have much knowledge, but I cannot recall all of it. You must find the way, young Fenrir. Do not allow Jormungandr to have its way."
Torvald curses under his breath and walks around aimlessly. He's frustrated and confused.
"So, you're saying WE 4 have to take it upon ourselves to...find the source of the taint and...destroy it?"
The Guardian Spirit lets out a deep exhale, causing a few particles of dust to rise up, "Who else can be entrusted with such a...sacred task?"
"I thought slaughtering everyone in that warehouse was a sacred task..."
The Spirit remains quiet for a few moments.
"Tsuu'thux? You're not telling me something. Why?"
The Guardian Spirit responds, "My time here grows shorter, young Fenrir."
"So, I'm expected to find the blood leeches and then, what? I feel that they know what we are."
Tsuu'thux says, "They have some idea of what you are."
Torvald's eyes dart around as he tries to process the information, "What?"
"The Veil is being torn asunder, young Fenrir. There is no time to waste. I suggest you start searching the town."
Torvald takes a few steps towards the Guardian Spirit, "But, where? Where?"
Even more particles of dust start to crumble from its body.
It's fading.
"You are wise, Torvald. You will find them, I have faith in you."
""I--I--I--don't know."
The Guardian Spirit ignores him, "You and your Pack must find a way to atone for the terrible things you have done. If you fall before doing so, then I do not know what will become of your souls."
"Tsuu'thux, I have no idea what to do."
"It is not for me to decide. It is for you."
Torvald looks up at the Guardian Spirit, "If only we had found you sooner, Tsuu'thux."
"Indeed, Fenrir. Indeed. I will miss the adopted son of Sheila and Gus. Daniel was the only Red Talon I ever took a liking to."
Torvald lowers his head, "I will avenge him."
Tsuu'thux leaves Torvald with 1 last piece of advice, "Let your Rage guide you, Torvald. But do not wholly succumb to it. There is much more to a Garou than primal anger."
Torvald nods and furrows his brow, "Right."
Tsuu'thux's body is almost fully engulfed by the purple haze now.
Torvald looks up and tries to make eye contact with the Guardian Spirit, but is unable to. The purple haze seems to be blinding him.
"What's happening, Tsuu'thux?"
The Spirit lets out a gentle exhale, "You will learn. You will see."
Tsuu'thux quickly adds, "The blood leeches are hiding in plain sight, but are clever and cunning. Be careful, Torvald. Be..."
It pauses for a few moments, "...strong."
Torvald's heart is pounding.
"The time is now, Torvald. Atone for your misdeeds. Cleanse the stain."
With its many hands, Tsuu'thux extends 1 towards the Fenrir.
Torvald takes it.
The Guardian Spirit lets out a loud groan and a powerful, bright orange light starts emanating from its body.
Torvald levitates a few inches off the ground as a powerful surge of energy rushes through his entire being. He feels his wound throbbing again, but this time it's different.
It's like something is happening on the inside.
He winces and screams in pain as the Guardian Spirit's large finger seems to phase through his body.
"Leave, Fenrir. Leave. I have done all...all I can for you. I--I see your future now."
Torvald gasps in shock, "Wh--what does it hold, Tsuu'thux?"
"It is...deeply unpleasant, young Fenrir. Deeply unpleasant." The Guardian Spirit's voice sounds more distant now. More like a distant memory.
With that grim announcement of what is to come, Torvald jerks awake in his bed, covered in sweat.
He pants for a few moments. He's trying to make sense of what's happened, what's still happening.
He feels a surge of energy coursing its way through his entire (still) battered body.
The wound on his abdomen still hurts like hell, but it doesn't seem to burn or itch as much. It's just a dull pain.
He looks down and sees his wound has closed up a bit.
But the pain is still there. Still throbbing. Still lingering.
He rubs his hand on his chest and his stomach, wondering if any trace of his dream/encounter will remain.
Torvald reaches for a bottle of painkillers, but notices that it's empty.
He groans, curses in his native language, and throws the bottle down on the bedside table.
Gunnar is fast asleep, snoring very loudly as the afternoon sun shines through the curtains.
Torvald can hear a few cars and motorcycles driving by.
Anja makes no sound as the covers are completely pulled over her head. She's either asleep or still brooding.
Emi is sound asleep, resting her head on her pillow. She's also covered by a blanket.
The room is almost entirely silent.
Torvald sharply exhales as he slowly gets up. He tiptoes to the window and takes a quick peek outside.
He can't see anyone, but he does notice the surrounding area is very...deserted.
He frowns and shakes his head.
The Fenrir eventually goes back to sleep as the sunny afternoon carries on.
Torvald just can't stop thinking about Tsuu'thux's prediction of a deeply unpleasant future. What does that mean?
What exactly does it entail, not only for him but also for the other 3?
This grim and bleak future is not something he's particularly looking forward to.
He shakes his head and decides to share all of what he learned in the Umbra with the other 3 later on.
"No more secrets," Torvald tells himself.
Soon enough, the sun begins its retreat and night takes hold. The 4 Garou have been asleep for hours, and the day is nearly over.
A smatter of orange and yellow colors the sky as the sun sets over Plaintry.
It's time for the night to begin.
It's time for the Kindred to wake up.
Maya awakens to the incessant vibrating of her phone. She takes a look at the caller ID and frantically reaches out for her phone, almost dropping it.
She nervously answers the call and immediately says, "Edgar?"
Maya's boss greets her with a friendly "Hey, Maya. You...doing OK?"
Maya furrows her brow and stifles a groan, "Uh...hi, yeah, I'm doing OK? What's up, Edgar?"
Edgar replies, "You won't need to come in to work tonight."
"Oh...OK..."
Edgar hesitates before saying, "It would seem that the renovations aren't exactly uh...holding up too well."
Maya sits up a bit as she rubs her eyes with her other hand, "Oh, my, w--was anyone hurt?"
"Luckily, no. We're closing the building down, until we can get everything sorted out." He doesn't sound too keen on doing that.
"So, no work tonight?"
Edgar says, "Yes, Maya. Unfortunately."
"W--Will I still get paid?"
Edgar lets out a frustrated sigh, "We're still trying to figure out the best course of action at this point, Maya."
Maya simply says, "Oh, OK."
There's an awkward pause.
Maya quickly asks, "How are the kids doing, Edgar?"
"Ah, they're doing great. Since school's closed, they're just hanging out and raising hell around here, haha. Not really sure what to do with them, really."
Is he...hinting at something?
He goes on, "Me and the wife could really use some...extra help at the moment. It's getting...a bit tighter for us."
Maya nervously says, "Oh. Um..."
"Look, Maya, I know it's a lot to ask, but you know my kids and they miss you. A lot. They've been asking about you and I--"
"Edgar, wait a second. Hold on, hold on."
Edgar goes on, "I mean, if it's a problem, I'll understand, but I--"
An interesting offer, indeed. But, now that Maya's a vampire, being around kids (aka little blood bags) would be a bit awkward.
Not to mention, the telltale signs that kids might pick up on- the deathly paleness, the cold touch, and the (likely) unnatural presence.
Then, there's the glaring issue of Maya's eternal Hunger. The Beast makes no distinction between young, too damn young, and not so young. They are all food to it.
Can she gently let her boss down?
Of course, a part of her still wants to see Avery (the older daughter) and Alfred (the younger son).
Those 2 always loved Maya like a fun aunty.
Then again, if Maya can't control her Beast, it would be a recipe for disaster.
A bloodbath (junior edition).
Maya finally manages to interrupt her boss, "Um, Edgar, listen. I--I'd love to, but..."
Edgar doesn't let her finish, "I see, Maya. They...really worry about you. It seems some friends from school managed to tell Avery about what happened at the Target superstore."
Maya sighs and shakes her head, saying nothing.
Edgar apologizes, "I tried to keep my kids away from it, but well...you know how kids are these days, with their phones and social media."
Maya thinks back to her encounter with Bernice, but quickly banishes it from her mind, "Y--Yeah, I guess."
Edgar's voice snaps her out of her thoughts, "I'm sorry, Maya. I just...I just want to help. If there's anything I can do, please, let me know."
Maya pensively apologizes, "Believe me, I'd love to see Avery and Alfred again, but um..."
Maya freezes as she tries to come up with a valid reason. She can't exactly tell Edgar the truth.
That would be a severe Masquerade breach.
After a few moments, Edgar lets out a gentle, sympathetic sigh, "I understand. Whatever it is, I'm sure you'll find a way around it."
Maya simply replies, "I hope so."
She hesitates, but then goes on, "I'm sorry, Edgar. I just...I don't think I'd be any good for your kids at the moment."
"I understand. I'll just have to relay the message."
Maya is quick to apologize again, "I'm really sorry, Edgar."
She then adds, "I--I--I'm sorry, but I really have to go now." Her Hunger rages within her.
The Beast is getting restless.
"Right, right. Of course, Maya. Take care, OK? We'll talk tomorrow."
"I will, Edgar. Thank you. Bye--"
Before she's about to hang up, Edgar quickly asks, "Are you on the Nimbus WhatsApp group?"
"Oh, uh, what?"
Edgar clicks his tongue, "You need to be more present, Maya. The group is really useful, especially with your work being cut short, and all that."
Maya nods, saying, "OK, OK, got it. I'll check it out."
Edgar goes on, "I've already taken the liberty of adding you to the group, Maya. Make sure to keep your notifications on. It's how we're gonna release all official information from now on."
"OK. Got it."
Out of curiosity, Maya asks, "What exactly happened? I thought the renovations were all done?"
Edgar shrugs and lets out a chuckle, "Oh, you know."
Maya presses the question, "No, I don't. That's why I'm asking you."
There's an awkward pause.
Edgar awkwardly says, "Well, a whole ceiling panel came crashing down."
"Wow, that's, um...pretty bad."
Edgar goes on, "Yeah..."
Maya has a feeling he's withholding something from her, "So, uh, what else?"
"What else, what do you mean?"
"Come on, Edgar, what's the real story?"
Edgar awkwardly clears his throat, "Well, the ceiling panel crashed down on--"
He hesitates for a few tense seconds, "--your cubicle."
Maya's undead stomach churns, "W--What? Wait, what?!"
Edgar sighs, "Your cubicle was pretty much obliterated."
Maya is a bit shocked, "What?!"
"I'm so sorry, Maya."
Maya furiously rubs her face with her hands, "Fuck, fuck, fuck! I--I was working on a few articles and--and--"
Edgar allays her fears, "Hey, hey, hey. Gary's got the latest copies and the rest is backed up on the cloud. We'll sort this out, OK?"
Maya can't believe what she's hearing, "I--I--I just--w--wow. I got the impression that the new owners were a bit more...understanding."
Edgar stifles a sigh as the new owners are mentioned, "They were. A--Are. They're still trying to figure out the best course of action at the moment."
Maya huffs, "Well, that's reassuring. The renovations looked really fancy and expensive, how the hell does something like this happen?"
"They're working on the repairs, but, well...it's going to take some time." He sounds a bit agitated now.
"And my cubicle is totally wrecked? Gone? Just like that?"
"Unfortunately, yes. I'm sorry, Maya, I--I really am." There is a bit of insincerity in his tone.
"So, what's the plan now??" She's feeling a bit irate. Maybe, even a bit bitter.
Her Beast rumbles within her.
Maya immediately hears a little boy's voice screaming, followed by what sounds like muffled footsteps.
Edgar groans and says, "Alfred, your sister is trying to sleep, go to your room and stop being so noisy." He seems a bit exasperated now.
The little boy screams again, "Who's on the phone, dad!"
Edgar whispers to Maya, "If I tell him it's you, he'll wake up the whole damn neighborhood."
"It's fine, Edgar." Maya tries to sound calm, but it's difficult when all she wants right now is blood. Red and fresh.
"Just make sure you're on the WhatsApp group, OK?" Edgar's voice snaps her out of her thoughts again.
Maya manages to calm herself down and responds, "Oh, yeah, I'll get on that. Any idea on when we can begin work again?"
Edgar shoos his jumping little boy away as he speaks with Maya, "I'm not too sure. The company is working on the best way to...approach the current situation." He sounds like a walking corporate manual now.
"Hmph, yeah, wouldn't want any more ceiling panels coming down, right?" She sounds a bit bitter.
"I know that this whole situation is stressful for you, Maya, and I understand that." He doesn't sound very apologetic at all.
"Hmph, right," Maya huffs in frustration as the little boy continues to make noise in the background.
Edgar whispers, "Look, just, check the group. Everything important will be posted there."
"Right. Got it." She's trying not to lose her patience, but her Beast is getting harder to control.
"Good. Talk soon, Maya. I'll tell the kids you said hi."
"Heh, yeah, I'm sorry that I can't see them now. They...They're a lovely bunch of kids." Her voice breaks. She can't stop thinking about little Alfred. Avery, too.
She's always liked those 2.
Edgar hangs up and Maya is left staring at her phone. Her Hunger rages on and on, making it impossible to think.
Her Beast roars within her, demanding to be fed.
She tries to keep herself together as she gets up from her bed and stretches out.
First, she meanders over to the bathroom to brush her teeth. Her fangs emerge and she gives them a good rinse. She inspects them with a sense of wonder, a sense of horror.
Even after all this time, she doesn't feel like a vampire yet. Not a proper one anyway. She snickers at her reflection as she spits into the sink and rinses out the toothbrush.
She takes a few moments to ruffle her red hair in the mirror before getting into the shower.
The shower head pummels her cold skin with water as she starts thinking about her conversation with her boss.
She asks herself, "What kind of cheapskates are these new owners, anyway?" Her voice echoes against the tiles as she washes away.
Little did she know...
It's not long before she turns the shower off. She dries herself off and wraps the towel around herself.
The Tremere takes some time to pick out an outfit for tonight. Nothing too formal, so she goes with some simple jeans and a faded blue blouse. She puts on some light makeup (mainly lip gloss) and brushes her hair.
With her phone in her pocket, her mind starts drifting to other matters- namely, the elephant in the room.
Lucile.
Maya can't stay mad at her girlfriend forever. She's gotta accept what Lucile did and love her just like Lucile loves Maya back.
Besides, it's not as bad as some of the other shit that Kindred get up to on nights like this. Maya ought to consider herself lucky to have met such an amazing woman like Lucile.
A woman who was willing to bring her into this world.
This world of darkness.
Lucile loves Maya unconditionally, that much is certain. There is nothing she won't do for Maya. Maya can see it in her eyes, her actions, the way she talks...
She loves Maya with every fiber of her undead being.
Maya hopes she can be worthy of Lucile's love.
She sighs and sits on her sofa, wondering where her girlfriend is at this point. Is she day-sleeping or has she found a way to pass the time?
Is she bored out of her mind?
How's her whole Camarilla courier job going?
"We just met before she got whisked away. Hell, we've barely spent any time together at all, yet." Maya huffs in frustration and rolls her eyes.
"We need to spend more time together," She says to herself.
"I have to try. I have to forget about that whole goddamn Methuselah thing and...understand why Lucile did what she did." She pensively looks at the window as night creeps over the streets of Plaintry.
She sighs and grabs her bike keys.
It's time to go hunting. After that, Maya decides to pay Nolene a visit.
Maybe that'll clear her mind a bit.
For tonight's "meal", Maya finds a man being thrown out of a bar in town. He stumbles to his feet as she watches. He reeks of booze.
He looks back inside and laughs.
He jeers and scoffs, "I'm telling you, that fuckin' pawn shop is HAUNTED! I SWEAR ON IT!"
A young man who seems to be working the bar counters screams back, "Shut the hell up, OK? No one wants to hear your drunken rants. We all know you're full of shit, man!"
Maya's Beast stirs as the smell of booze gets to it. She wants nothing more than to lunge at the guy.
The half-drunk guy claps back, "It's bad juju in that place, people! BAD. JUJU!"
The entire bar erupts in laughter. Maya takes a step forward.
He spits on the ground (gross) and proceeds to stumble forward.
Maya's brown eyes widen as she feels her Beast's presence within her. The urge to feed.
To feed on this intoxicated morsel in front of her.
The guy drunkenly mutters to himself as he walks by.
Maya quickly glances around before her eyes settle on a "cozy" corner she can drag the guy to.
Maya pulls him aside and begins the familiar routine. Her fangs emerge and she feeds from the intoxicated dude.
The drunk guy barely notices as he slowly passes out.
"Grrr. So delicious," She whispers to herself. Her Beast roars with pleasure within her.
Her heart feels cold.
But at least her unceasing Hunger is satisfied...for now.
The guy finally passes out in Maya's arms as she pulls her fangs out.
He's still alive, his breathing is fine.
But she knows it'll be a matter of time before he wakes up again.
She licks the wound shut with her tongue and gently lays the guy on the ground. She can't just leave him here, he could get stepped on and get hurt.
So, she carefully carries the guy and places him against a brick wall, hoping that will be a comfortable enough place for him.
The drunk guy just mutters a few slurred words. Maya pats him on the shoulder and says, "Uh...sorry."
This intoxicated guy won't remember a damn thing. It's not likely he will, anyway.
With the Beast quieted, Maya now feels a bit woozy, but at least it's manageable.
Her body is filled with an immense strength that she can't even fathom.
She just sits on her scooter for a few moments, gathering her composure and trying to shake off the booze she "drank" from her victim.
The street is practically empty. Maya figures the rest of the people must be either inside a bar or home at this time.
A few minutes later, she's back on the road again. The evening breeze blows through the area.
Soon enough, Maya pulls in front of Nolene's occult store and kills the engine.
The lights are on inside, so Nolene's definitely still working.
Maya walks in and immediately hears, "Be with you in a sec!"
Nolene seems to be in the backroom. There's no one else in the store.
Maya's eyes dart around as she makes her way over to a glass cabinet containing various occult paraphernalia.
She nods, impressed with all these strange trinkets and baubles on display.
After a few moments, Maya is snapped out of her trance when she hears, "Oh, Maya...uh. Hi!"
Nolene looks a bit surprised to see Maya here.
Maya looks at Nolene and smiles, "Hi! How are you?"
Nolene shrugs and responds, "Eh, I'm doing OK. Still busy with this court...thing."
Nolene's wearing something a bit more on the formal side- a simple, elegant, maroon pantsuit with brown pumps. It fits her well and looks great.
Nolene awkwardly points towards the back, "I just have a few more things to wrap up here. Then, I gotta head to the court again."
Maya furrows her brows, "What is this court stuff that's got you all preoccupied?" She looks around at the occult paraphernalia, not quite sure where to even begin. There's just so much stuff in this place!
Nolene clears her throat and awkwardly shuffles around, "I'd uh...I don't wanna talk about it, Maya." Her eyes dart from side to side.
"Is it like a criminal thing? What exactly is happening?" Maya takes a few steps closer and stops to admire the many bookshelves filled to the brim with occult-related books and texts.
Some of the books have no titles whatsoever, which piques her interest even further.
Nolene quickly adjusts her afro and says, "No, I--I can't talk about it. Look, I've got stuff to take care of." Her voice is firm and to the point.
Maya softly shrugs, "I just came to see if you wanted to hang out? Maybe uh...go bowling."
Nolene huffs, "Ah, that. Maya, you know I'd LOVE to, but this goddamned fucking court case is sucking me dry! I barely have time for my own business and--" she gestures around her store.
She groans, "It's...a nightmare, Maya!"
Maya presses the question, "But what is 'it', Nolene?? What has got you so riled up??" she waves her arm around.
Nolene clicks her tongue and gives up, "Let's talk in the back. I don't feel comfortable saying this stuff in here."
She walks to the backroom, beckoning Maya to follow her. Maya can see how tense Nolene looks, how stiff and rigid her shoulders are. How stiff and rigid her walk is.
How she clenches her fists as she moves around. Something's up, alright. Something big.
Nolene makes her way over to a round table in the back of the room.
Maya's eyes wander around as she sees various papers, books, and occult paraphernalia all scattered about the place. Some of these trinkets are quite interesting to look at.
Nolene clears her throat to get Maya's attention.
Maya sits up, "Oh, yeah, so, Nolene, whatever it is, you can tell me. I promise I won't judge or anything." She smiles and sits on a chair. Nolene's already sitting in one.
Nolene softly chuckles, "Right." She nods her head a few times, then looks at the ground, contemplating whether to tell Maya or not.
Maya softly presses the issue again, "Seriously, what is it? Is it something...I'm not gonna like? Or..." her voice trails off. She's feeling a bit nervous now.
What has got Nolene so flustered and stressed out? What kind of a court case is it, anyway?
Nolene sighs and finally looks directly into Maya's eyes, "You familiar with the McMahons?"
Maya groans, "Oh, great. Them. Ugh."
Nolene chuckles, "Heh, my thoughts exactly."
"So, you're fighting them in court? Over...what? The business? The occult store? Or...?" She shrugs and makes an innocent face. She wants to know.
Nolene rolls her eyes, "One of William McMahon's daughters said something about me a while back." Nolene shakes her head in disgust.
Maya raises an eyebrow, "O...kay?"
Maya isn't entirely unfamiliar with the antics of the (now-deceased) obscenely-wealthy, arch-conservative McMahon family.
They've done what they can to make life a lot more troublesome for...certain people in this town. People like Maya, mainly.
Maya beckons for Nolene to continue.
Nolene rests her chin on her right palm and says, "Well, she uh--it was on some shitty-ass radio show."
Maya softly clicks her tongue, "OK. So, what happened?" She's a bit intrigued now.
"Well, you know. Well...she had the fucking gall to call me--call me--"
Nolene pauses for a bit as she gathers the right words, "She said...she said something about me being 'blacker than usual' and--and uh...well, some other things that I--that I can't...uh..."
Maya places her hand on Nolene's, "I'm so sorry."
Nolene slowly nods, "She also called me, and I quote, 'An uppity voodoo mama.'" She scoffs at the sheer audacity of what happened.
Maya gasps, shocked.
Nolene shakes her head, "Well, let's just say, it didn't go over very well with me. I got some dignity, girl. I just couldn't let 'em walk all over me like that."
Nolene clears her throat, "I had to stand up for what's right." She sounds like a lawyer giving her closing statements.
Maya slowly nods and says, "I'm so sorry that happened to you, Nolene. That's awful. What she said was disgusting." She clenches her fists as she says this.
She can imagine how Nolene must've been feeling these past few months.
"I'm so sorry," Maya repeats.
Nolene presses her lips into a weak smile, "Eh, it's fine. It's fine, girl."
Nolene clears her throat, "Even after the entire family died in that fire, I feel they're haunting me to this very night." She huffs and rolls her eyes.
Maya shrugs and asks, "Do you think it'll be resolved any time soon? Do you have any idea how long it's gonna go on for? Also, now that the McMahons are all dead, does that make a difference?" She hopes that sounded comforting.
Nolene's face almost brightens up, "Well, the family dead, and I ain't gonna shed tears like the rest of the spineless folk 'round here."
Maya's eyebrows raise up in surprise as she nods, "I mean, they were assholes, no doubt about it, but a fire tore through that mansion. I didn't think much of it at the time, but...it was pretty suspicious. How'd it happen?" Maya can't help but be curious.
Nolene snickers, "Like I give a damn. If anything, I'm glad it happened. No more of them and their bullshit."
She rolls her eyes. "God knows what other nasty shit they got up to, in that big-ass mansion of theirs."
Nolene really hates the McMahon family, and given her current court case against them, Maya can't help but sympathize.
Nolene clears her throat once more, "Now that the entire family is gone, I guess the case will just drag on. You got their fancy-ass lawyers crying about 'free speech' and shit."
She clicks her tongue, "Bullshit!" She huffs and shakes her head in disgust.
Maya looks around, "Sounds like a pretty...tough thing to fight. Don't you have any help? Like, any legal advisors, or...lawyers or someone you can hire to help?" Her eyes settle on Nolene's, but the shopkeeper averts her gaze.
Nolene's quiet for a few moments. Then, she says, "I can't afford that kinda thing. Not with my current income, and well, with everything else going on in this goddamn town, I--"
Maya nods, "I understand. I'm so sorry. If there's anything I could do to help, anything at all. If you need help around the store, maybe I could--"
Nolene holds up her hand, "It's OK, Maya. I appreciate it, but I'm...not hiring right now. Besides, it wouldn't be fair to pay you with..." She glances down at the table.
Maya interjects, "I--I'm sure I could learn. I'd love to learn how to help out here!" Her smile is sincere and heartfelt.
Nolene sighs and smiles weakly, "Look, girl. You're worth a lot more than I can pay you, OK? Just...don't worry about me, alright? I got it under control."
"Are you sure, Nolene? You really seem to be in over your head here. I mean, what if this thing drags on for YEARS?"
She quickly continues, "Then there's the fact that you're a vampire. People are gonna get suspicious, aren't they? Like...don't they start looking into people who--"
Nolene shakes her head and huffs, "Girl, if I start thinking like that, then I won't get anything done in this fucking town."
She raises a finger up, "Of course, I care about the Masquerade as much as the next bloodsucker, but it's my dignity that's at stake here. I'm not just gonna let some rich assholes get away with saying that shit about me."
Nolene straightens her back, "Not in this lifetime or the next, you know what I'm sayin'? This ain't no fight I'm backing down from. Nope." She sounds resolute and confident now.
Nolene seems pretty determined to see this through. No matter how long it takes or how long this damn case goes on for. She just won't take shit from these rich, arrogant assholes.
She won't.
Besides, she's got an eternity to fight it out. 1 of the advantages of being Kindred, after all.
Time is on her side. She hopes.
""That's--that's really admirable, Nolene. I wish I had that kinda courage. So...what can I do to help?" Maya says with a smile.
Nolene looks at her for a few seconds. She focuses on Maya's chocolate brown eyes for a bit.
Maya awkwardly chuckles as she notices how Nolene's gaze is essentially transfixed on her. She has no idea what Nolene is thinking about right now.
The awkward staring continues, as Nolene's mouth is slightly open as if she wants to say something, but is having difficulty coming up with the words.
She just looks at Maya, lost in thought.
Maya snaps her fingers and waves her hand in front of Nolene's face, trying to break her out of whatever trance she's in.
"Hey, Nolene, you in there? Hello? Hello?" She snaps her fingers a few more times, hoping that'll work.
Nolene's gaze remains firmly focused on Maya's chocolate brown eyes. Maya has no idea why Nolene seems to be so fascinated by them.
Or is it her red hair?
Maybe she's just a little lost in thought right now.
Maya does a jazz hands motion in front of Nolene, but all she does is continue to stare at Maya as if she's some sort of weird alien from outer space.
Maya softly sighs and snaps her fingers again.
After a few moments of staring at her, Nolene snaps out of whatever she was in and sighs, "I'm--I'm sorry, girl."
She blushes, "You...really are beautiful, you almost remind me of someone I used to know."
Maya raises her eyebrows a bit, "Oh, who? Also, are you OK, Nolene? You looked really spaced-out, like you were in your own little world or something." She smiles, trying to reassure her. 
"Heh, it's nothing." Nolene chuckles awkwardly, "Sorry 'bout that. Just been a lot for me to go through these past few uh...months, yeah. The court case has really sucked a lot out of me." She shrugs and chuckles softly.
Nolene suddenly shakes her head as she remembers what she wanted to say in the first place, "Girl, if I had some way of making this whole thing go away, I'd have done it by now, but I gotta try to fight this through the end, y'know."
Maya nods, "Yeah, the McMahons were a bunch of bigoted, nasty assholes, I'd be really upset, too." She frowns. Her sympathy for Nolene only seems to increase the longer she spends in her presence.
This court case sounds like a real pain.
Maya adds, "Y'know, I heard there's gonna be a memorial um...thing for them. Tomorrow evening." She makes a vague hand motion. She's not too familiar with the whole process.
Nolene shakes her head, "Hmph, nah, I'm not gonna go there and cause a fuss."
"Yeah, me neither, haha. I read that a bunch of big names in the conservative movement might show up to...say nice things about them? I dunno. Blurgh."
Maya rolls her eyes and scoffs, "God. They really were a nasty bunch."
Maya shrugs and sighs, "Anyway, what can I do to help?"
Nolene smiles, "This is my battle, girl. I've got this. Thanks, though. Really. It means a lot to me that you care so much about me and all, but...this is just something I have to do. Not just for me, but for others, too." Her gaze turns wistful as she speaks.
She almost looks like she's about to start crying. Maybe she is, maybe she isn't. Hard to gauge at this point.
Maya changes the subject by asking, "So, how's business doing? You get many customers around this time?" Maya glances over her shoulder and towards the store entrance.
No one has come in or left the place since her arrival. She wonders if Nolene is just keeping the shop open just for the sake of appearances, or because she truly is THAT busy.
Nolene clicks her tongue in disappointment and huffs, "It's a trickle. I got some teenagers that treat this like a hangout spot. Can't blame 'em, really."
"Oh, cool."
Nolene sighs, "I don't see it that way, girl. Y'know the only library in this town?"
Maya nods and Nolene continues, "Yeah, it's being shut down as part of the next round of fucking budget cuts and all that shit. So, the kids ain't got nothin' to do in this damn place, you know what I mean?"
Maya gasps, "Yeah, I read something about that weeks ago. That's awful!" she furrows her brow in concern.
"Yeah, well Mayor Duncan's pushing it through. Asshole." Nolene rolls her eyes in disgust. She has a pretty obvious disdain for the Mayor.
Nolene angrily continues, "He thinks we don't need a library no more, just like we didn't need...the UOP."
"Whoa, the University Of Plaintry. I hear a lotta older folk talking fondly about it."
Nolene clicks her tongue, "Yeah, well, I studied there for a while."
"Oh, sweet!"
"Yeah, speaking of, you do remind me of...him."
Maya gives Nolene a sideways glance as she asks, "Him? Who?" She can't help but wonder what this "him" could be like.
"Geoffrey Calhoun. You might know him as the former Prince of this town, but we knew him as Professor Geoffrey Calhoun."
Maya gasps and exclaims, "Ooh!" Her eyes widen in awe. This is all pretty fascinating stuff to learn about.
Who knew?
She's a bit curious, "What do you see in me...that reminds you of him?"
Nolene leans closer to get a look at Maya's eyes, "Those...eyes of yours, girl. That same shade of...chocolate brown." Nolene chuckles at her choice of words.
Maya nervously laughs, "Oh, um...OK."
Nolene quickly says, "Or maybe I'm just imagining it. It was years ago, after all. He was a great teacher. A good guy..."
A tear of blood escapes her right eye, but she quickly wipes it off.
Maya lowers her head, "He met Final Death..." She feels a bit awkward and doesn't really know what else to say.
Nolene sighs, "Yeah, the other Toreadors sold him out at the last minute to save their own damn necks."
Maya sadly asks, "What? What did they do?" She furrows her brow in confusion and concern.
"The usual blame game."
Nolene wants to say more, but for whatever reason she stops herself and looks away. It seems to Maya like she wants to talk, but something's preventing her from saying more.
A blockage of some kind, maybe? A mental block? An emotional one? It's hard to tell at the moment.
Maya remarks, "So, this is how Kindred Society is, huh? Always throwing each under the bus, huh?" She softly shakes her head and huffs. It's kind of disgusting, in a way.
She expected Kindred Society to be a little...deeper than that.
Nolene weakly chuckles, "I mean, sure, there's that, but it ain't all bad."
Maya glances at Nolene, "Oh, yeah? Like what?" She raises an eyebrow.
Nolene rolls her eyes, "Not sure you're ready to hear the answer to that that question, girl."
Maya shakes her head, "Hmm. Fine, maybe you've got a point. I'm just a Fledgling getting her head around this new existence. Still, it's kinda hard to accept this new world sometimes, you know?" Maya pensively looks down at the floor.
"Yeah, it takes a while for some of us to get used to it all. Anyway, you've got Eleanor...and Lucile to guide you through the worst of it. They're some good people to have in this town." Nolene sounds pretty reassuring now.
She adds, "Lucile in particular. You're pretty damn lucky." Her tone shifts a bit here.
Maya lets out a sad chuckle, "Well, I just wish I had gotten to spend a bit more time with her, you know? Before she got whisked away on her courier thing."
Maya pouts a little. She clearly misses her girlfriend a lot.
Nolene picks up on this. She decides to say nothing. Maya looks back at Nolene.
The shopkeeper is silent. Her mind is clearly preoccupied with other matters.
Maya asks, "Something is bothering you, Nolene. It's not the whole court thing. It's...something else, isn't it?" Her tone is sincere and full of concern.
Nolene's expression falters, "That obvious, huh? It's--"
Maya takes Nolene's cold hands in her cold hands, "I can feel it. I know what it's like when you've got stuff weighing you down, you know."
"What is it?" Maya softly asks, trying to encourage Nolene to confide in her a little.
Nolene concedes with a long sigh, "It's my daughter."
"Oh, is she OK??"
"That's the thing, girl. She's been acting all strange and weird, always looking over her shoulder, fidgeting, jumping at the smallest sounds, and--and just being real quiet around the place." She sighs in frustration.
Maya squeezes Nolene's hand a little tighter as she says, "Well, maybe you should get to the bottom of it. She's your daughter, she might know that, but at the end of the night, you're STILL her mom."
Maya adds, "And being a vampire is not gonna make that fact change, OK?" Her eyes lock onto Nolene's.
Nolene clicks her tongue, "Hmph, it's a bit different. I--I just can't tell her who I really am, y'know? She sees me as a friend, and that's that. If I reveal the truth, that I'm...that I'm--" Nolene trails off. She's a bit afraid, it seems.
She sighs, "If I tell her, it'll only freak her the fuck out, or...or--she'll feel betrayed or--or some shit. I don't know." Nolene averts her gaze as she says this.
She adds, "I mean, how do I tell her that she's gon grow old while I'll outlive her forever?" Her voice breaks a bit. Maya can sense Nolene's pain, her frustration.
It's heartbreaking to witness.
She looks back at Maya. There's an unmistakable sadness in her eyes.
Maya smiles, "Well, I mean do you want her to go her whole life without EVER knowing her real mother? The real you? Who you actually are?"
"I--I just want the best for her, but--but she's scared, Maya. And I wanna reach out and help, but..." Her voice breaks. It sounds like she's going to burst into sanguine tears any second.
"I...I can't tell her the truth," Nolene hangs her head in shame.
Maya gently nods, "But you can still be there for her. Do you have any idea why she's afraid?"
Nolene wipes away another stray blood-tear from her eye. Maya can sense she's getting close to her breaking point.
She shrugs and clicks her tongue, "I dunno. She's a paramedic, so maybe she saw some really bad shit one time?"
Maya nods, "Maybe, I guess."
Nolene nods, "Yeah. Maybe..."
As Nolene is in silent contemplation over her daughter, the front door slowly opens.
It startles them both and causes Nolene to jump.
Maya says, "You better go get it. Maybe it's a customer!"
Nolene chuckles, "At this time? Maybe someone needs a new tarot deck, haha."
Before Nolene goes to see who that is, Maya adds, "Don't forget what I said, Nolene."
Nolene looks over her shoulder and gives Maya a half-smile, "Don't worry about me, girl. I'll...be fine, OK?" Her voice falters.
"OK." Maya doesn't look too convinced, though.
Nolene fluffs her afro up a bit, trying to look like a proper, respectable shop owner before going to meet the potential customer.
Maya's eyes follow her, watching her closely as she moves towards the door.
Nolene also adjusts her clothes and dusts off any imaginary dust from her outfit as she prepares to greet this potential customer.
Her hands nervously fidget about as she makes her way over. She tries her best to sound cheery. She hopes this customer isn't in a foul mood, or anything like that.
Nolene freezes in her tracks.
Standing just a few feet in front of her is Special Agent Björn Henrickson. The Baali.
Maya can't hear them, but it looks like a pretty tense interaction. She wonders what they could be talking about.
Nolene points a finger at the Baali, "Next time I see your ass in here, it better be with a warrant, alright?! Better yet, don't come back at all!" Her tone is harsh and confrontational.
Björn's expression remains passive. He doesn't say anything. Just stands there, calmly looking at Nolene.
Maya gets a bit concerned and goes to see who that is.
Even she's frozen in her tracks when she sees him standing there, so casual yet imposing.
His gaze moves to meet her. Those eyes. Those hollow, empty eyes.
His skin is like paper; pale beyond the usual paleness. Maya feels her stomach lurch in fear.
Maya's lips shake as she asks, "B--Björn, what are you doing here."
Björn chuckles and bites his lip, "Maya! I'd ask you the same thing."
Maya gulps as she circles around him, "What do you want?" Her voice quivers as she speaks.
He turns to face her, "Nothing much, I just thought I'd drop by for a friendly chat. With Ms. Nolene."
Nolene butts in, "Nuh-uh, I don't buy that shit for a second."
Björn clicks his tongue, "Ms. Nolene, I just want to have a look around."
Nolene does a sweeping gesture, "Well, have a look around..."
Björn shakes his head, "In the backroom." He looks at Maya and smiles. His smile is as cold as his eyes. There is nothing warm or welcoming about it.
"Alone," He adds. He takes a step forward and places his palms on the glass counter, almost like a cat about to pounce. He doesn't seem happy. He's not even pretending.
This is very, very bad.
Nolene, through, gritted teeth says, "Get your slimy hands off my glass, you freak." Her gaze is like steel as she stares at Björn. She doesn't back down. Her Beast is getting riled up. Her hands shake.
Björn turns his head to Maya, "Why don't you head on out, hmm? Don't you have work, anyway? Wouldn't want you to be late for work. It'd be a shame." He clicks his tongue.
Maya takes a few steps back and says, "Björn, she's--she's a Tremere, like me." She can't help but be nervous. She hopes he doesn't lash out.
Nolene is shocked, "Maya! What the hell you doing, girl?!"
Björn chuckles, "Well, isn't this little podunk just full of surprises, huh? Why didn't you say that sooner?"
The Baali turns to face Nolene, his gaze piercing her.
His smile widens, "I'm a bloodsucker, too. Baali. They don't like talking much about us."
Nolene scoffs, "Really? I can imagine why." She gestures for Björn to leave. Her knuckles are turning white as her fists tighten.
Björn smiles and says, "Oh, they're afraid of us. Of what we're capable of."
Björn nods over to Maya, "She knows what I'm capable of, don't you, Ms. Weekes?"
Maya gulps, "Björn, what are you even doing here? Why are you harassing Nolene?" She's getting really, really nervous now. Her stomach lurches again.
Björn keeps his gaze fixed on Nolene, "Like I said last time, I'm looking for something that belongs to my um...boss. Well, not 'boss' per se, but I dunno what else to call him."
"But I don't see anything around here that seems to fit that description, so..."
He gestures over Nolene's shoulder, "I'm going to have to take a quick peek behind the curtain, if you don't mind." His smile is almost taunting. His tone is light and almost pleasant, as if he's trying to make a joke.
Nolene shakes her head, "I'm a citizen. I pay my taxes. I know my rights. Ain't no shady fed coming into my store without a warrant, so..." She raises her chin high in defiance.
Björn clicks his tongue and waves his hand, "Oh, don't be so...stubborn, Ms. Sparks. I won't be long."
Nolene remains firm as she says, "No. Also, get. Your. Hands. Off. My. Glass." She's practically growling now. Her Beast is raging inside her.
Björn gets his cold hands off the glass and shakes them around as he glances in Maya's direction. He looks at her. It's as if he's studying her.
Björn smiles, "It's...been a pleasure to meet you, Ms. Weekes."
Maya furrows her brow, "What the...?"
Björn shrugs, "Well, we could've done this the easy way. Guess, we're gonna have to do it the hard way."
Maya gasps.
Nolene points to the front door, "Outta my store, asshole!"
The Baali snaps his fingers and convulses and winces a few times. After a few moments, his eyes glow.
Maya shouts out, "Nolene! Watch out!"
From out of nowhere, an imposing, 8 feet tall, figure materializes in the room. Its limbs are irregular, thick, and muscular. It is totally pitch black.
The faceless, expressionless shadow beast growls and hisses. The room is suddenly filled with the smell of sulfur and burnt flesh.
Nolene is stunned. Maya is stunned.
Björn smirks.
The horns on the creatures head grow long and twist into an unusual spiral.
The Infernal Servitor lets out a terrible sound as it phases through the glass counter. The sound echoes throughout the room.
Maya screams out, "Björn, what the fuck?!?" She tries her best not to back up. She has to stay.
And fight.
She bares her fangs and claws as she snarls, "Nolene, get out of here!" She can feel her Beast stirring within her. Her body is tingling, she's shaking.
Nolene snaps out of her trance and yells back, "Don't worry about me, Maya! Run!" Her eyes are wide as saucers as she stares at the creature.
The creature grabs the back of Nolene's head and viciously slams it against the ground.
Nolene groans and cries out, "Ow, goddammit!" Her head is spinning and her vision is blurry.
Maya slips before she's able to scratch Björn. He grabs her and punches her in the face, knocking the wind out of her.
Maya gasps and sputters, her knees giving way. She stumbles back and collapses. She can barely move.
The Infernal Servitor picks Nolene up by her shirt collar and slams her into the glass counter.
Shards of glass rain down around Maya and Nolene.
The shadowy creature then throws Nolene to the side and tears the door to the backroom off its hinges.
Nolene slumps against a bookshelf and groans.
She struggles to get up. Her head goes round and round like a merry-go-round. She can barely stand.
Björn commands the creature, "Tear the entire place apart. Look for the box. It's a dagger of some kind. GO!"
The creature responds with a growl and proceeds to do as it's told.
Nolene can barely keep her eyes open. The creature rips the bookshelves, the walls, and even the floorboards apart.
The creature kicks open the cabinets, rummages through the shelves and cupboards, and even looks behind the paintings.
Maya struggles to get up. She's still shaking.
Björn casually walks over to her and crouches down, "You shouldn't have gotten involved, Maya..."
Maya stutters, "F--Fuck you!"
Björn shakes his head, "Tsk, tsk, tsk. That's not very nice." He waves his finger in front of Maya's face, like a schoolteacher chiding a student.
"Now, now, Maya. We're friends, aren't we? You should've stayed at home or wherever. It's dangerous here."
Maya spits out a mouthful of blood onto the floor, "Stay...away from me..."
"Hmm, no. Can't do."
Björn turns to look at Nolene, who is slumped against the wall.
"Hmm, what a shame."
He walks over to her.
Björn repeatedly kicks Nolene in the midriff, causing the sound of cracking ribs to reverberate throughout the room.
Maya yells out, "Stop!
"Stop! Please! Please, don't hurt her!" Maya shouts out. She's almost crying.
Nolene is unable to respond as Björn's foot batters her face, chest, and stomach. She's in unimaginable pain.
Maya crawls towards Nolene, "Stop, please...stop hurting her."
The creature tears through the back room, still desperately searching for whatever it is that Björn is looking for.
Björn pauses and sighs, "Hm. I can't hear myself think with all that noise."
He sighs and crouches down to ask Nolene, "Where'd you hide it, hmm? Make it easy on yourself, Ms. Sparks. Where did you put it?"
Nolene coughs up blood and wheezes, "I...don't...know..."
Björn tilts his head to the side, "Nah, I'm not buying it. He twists a shard of glass lodged in Nolene's neck and shoves it deeper into her body.
Nolene screams out in agony and grabs at her wound.
"I...I--I don't know nothin'!"
Maya manages to get up on her feet. She pounces on the Baali and tackles him to the ground.
Björn is stunned, "Huh!"
"Maya!!" Nolene shouts out.
Maya slashes at him and says, "You asshole! I trusted you! AAAAAAARGH! YOU SON OF A BITCH!!"
She's furious. She's blind with rage. Her Beast is out. She's losing control of herself.
Björn covers his face and pushes Maya off him.
Maya crashes against a table and falls to the ground.
A shaky display case comes falling right on her legs.
Björn gets up and says, "I'm not your enemy here, Maya."
Maya is too weak to respond.
Björn goes back to interrogating Nolene, "It's...some kind of a wooden box with a fancy-looking dagger inside? Where is it?"
Nolene glares at Björn with utter contempt.
Björn shakes his head groans, "As expected, less than useless. Hmph."
Björn decides to take a look around the store. He absentmindedly picks up a few trinkets and pockets them for laughs.
He fiddles with a bunch of tarot cards and remarks, "Pretty pictures, huh? You gotta ask yourself 1 question, y'know. How much of this stuff is made by and for us Kindred, hmm?"
Maya's hands shake. She tries and tries and tries to take the weight of the display case off her legs, but it's no use.
Her body is covered in cuts and scratches from the flying debris.
However, those superficial cuts seem to be mending on their own.
Björn picks up some random occult-related book and idly thumbs through it, "Yeah, most of this shit is probably for the yokels around here. All this woo-woo crap, the hoodoo, the hocus pocus, still I can't help but wonder what's...really real, y'know?"
He throws his hands up in the air, "Who knows? Any luck back there, buddy?"
The Infernal Servitor continues tearing down the backroom in search for this mysterious box.
Björn then turns to face Maya and says, "I know that look, Maya."
Maya weakly responds, "Björn. P--Pl--Please stop this. Please, I'm begging you. We didn't do anything to--to you. You don't need to do this."
"That's right, Maya. YOU didn't do anything. You just happened to be in my way."
Maya tries to say something, but Björn is having none of it.
Björn turns his attention back to Nolene and walks over to her, "Is there some kind of...hidden compartment or secret room in here somewhere?"
Nolene looks at him and snarls, "Don't. Fucking. Touch. Me."
"Ah, still defiant. Well, they do teach us how to break people at Quantico's more...advanced classes."
Nolene glowers at him, "You ain't...gettin'...shit from me, asshole." She wheezes as most of her wounds slowly mend themselves. Her head is still a little fuzzy, but she's regaining her senses.
She's healing (slowly). But she's not out of the woods yet. She's just in a lot of pain.
Björn adds to it by taking a shard of glass and jamming it into Nolene's shoulder, "Hmm. A little more...deeper," he says as he twists the glass shard around.
Nolene shouts out in pain and grabs at her shoulder, "Oh, GODDAMMIT!!!" She clenches her teeth and tries not to scream. She doesn't want to give him the satisfaction.
Björn sighs, "So, where's the damn box?"
"I--I got no goddamn idea what you talking about, fool!" Nolene shouts out. She's in so much pain right now. She feels like her head is going to split in half.
"No? Hm." Björn takes another shard of glass and jams it into Nolene's stomach.
He says, "Well, let's see what you know, shall we?" His tone is light and casual, as if they're just having a conversation.
A little bit of light banter, one might say.
"AAAAAAAH, no, no, no, stop, STOP, please!" Maya begs. She's crying now. She's just pinned there, watching as the Baali federal agent torments Nolene. She can't bear to look. It's too painful.
Björn heaves and huffs as he kicks Nolene in the abdomen, "Oh, Maya. Change of plans, hmm?" He pulls the display case off of the Tremere and wrestles her to her feet.
He looks into her eyes and smiles, "If you want to be her friend, then...I need some assistance from you, OK?" he whispers to her.
Maya sneers at him, "Go to hell, Björn! I'm NOT helping you!"
Björn tilts his head to side, almost saddened, "After all I've done for you? Need I remind you that I'm the one who told you where the SI HQ is? Hmmm?"
He continues holding Maya tightly as he drags her towards the backroom, "I've done you a big favor, Maya. Now, it's time to repay." Björn's tone is sharp and cutting.
There's no hint of sympathy or compassion.
He pulls Maya by her hair and tells her, "OK, use your spooky-glowy-eyes Auspex thing. C'mon, chop, chop, time's a-wastin'." He waves his hand in front of her face, almost goading her.
Maya shakes her head, "N--No..."
Björn sighs, "Let me spell this out in terms you'd understand- if you don't help me find what I'm looking for, I'll tell my buddy to rip your buddy's head clean off."
He reminds her, "That's Final Death, y'know?" Björn's tone is almost playful. He seems to enjoy this.
Maya cries out, "NOOOOO!!!" She doesn't want that.
The Tremere Fledgling stammers, "Y--You're bluffing. You wouldn't do that."
"Why?"
Maya desperately tries a bluff off her own, "Be--Because I already told Prince Lucas about you. He doesn't like Baali in his town."
Björn laughs out loud, "I know you, Maya. I know how you think. You didn't tell him jack shit."
He shakes his head, disappointed in her, "Y'know, you're...not as bright as I thought you'd be. For a Tremere, that's kinda...sad."
The Baali commands her, "I'm getting impatient here, so do your Auspex thing and FIND ME THAT DAMN BOX, Maya!" He punctuates his sentence with a harsh slap to her face.
Maya doesn't say anything. She just looks down at the floor as she struggles to get back up.
Björn scoffs, "The box, or Nolene's head comes clean off. I'll even let you keep it as a...reminder, hmm? Something to remember ol' Björn Henrickson by."
Maya grips a nearby table and pushes herself up, "No...please, no."
Björn taps the watch on his hand, "Chop, chop, time's a-wastin', Ms. Weekes. Use your super-magic-eyes thing."
Maya gulps as her legs still shake.
She closes her eyes and takes a few deep breaths. She tries her best to focus and concentrate.
"Come on, Maya. Do it for Nolene," she tells herself. She really is trying her best under such...distressful circumstances.
She's trying her best, but it's not working. She's too anxious, too scared, and too worried.
Maya's face scrunches as she struggles to concentrate.
The Infernal Servitor growls and stomps around the room, still tearing everything apart in search for that box.
Björn asks her, "You gonna do it?"
Maya's eyes immediately change to a bluish-white hue. Her Auspex Discipline is activated.
She searches the whole building with her eyes, desperately trying to find what Björn wants her to find.
But it's not working. She's too panicked and shaken.
Every object in the store seems to emanate a small aura, like a miniature halo.
All of the auras in the room are so close together. It's almost impossible to tell 1 aura apart from the other.
Maya's hands are shaking as she looks around the room.
Björn just crosses his arms and watches.
Nolene's wounds continue to mend. She pulls out a shard of glass lodged in her neck and drops it on the floor.
Maya's eyes dart about the room. She tries and tries and tries.
She's searching and searching and searching.
Her hands shake as she continues to search.
The glows and auras and faint energies are almost blinding now.
She focuses hard on the box, trying her best to ignore everything else.
After a few seconds, the auras all disappear from her sight.
Nolene pushes herself up and struggles to stand on her feet.
Her eyes are bloodshot. Her face is covered in cuts and bruises.
Her clothes are torn and dirty. Her luscious afro is a mess.
Björn seems oblivious to this as he keenly watches Maya stumble around in a panic.
She tries her best, but Maya can't seem to find anything.
She's struggling. She's panicking. She can't think straight.
Still in Auspex, her eyes glowing brightly, Maya slowly walks towards Björn's Infernal Servitor.
Maya is still searching for that box, but her eyes are fixed on that shadow beast.
The Tremere's voice cracks as she speaks, "I...What are you?"
Björn rolls his eyes and remarks, "Maybe I should take you back to Flimont City. I'm sure Markham would like you, heh."
She tries to touch the creature but it growls at her. The creature backs away and growls.
Björn claps his hands to get Maya's attention, "OK, enough petting the dog. Get back to finding my damn box--"
Just then, Nolene hollers out, "Hey, asshole!"
Björn, still having a smug look on his face, turns to look at Nolene, "Yeah?"
Nolene holds the walls for support as she growls, "Get outta my fuckin' store."
She glares at him, "Leave. Now." Nolene's eyes glow brightly as she bares her fangs.
Björn dismissively waves his hand and shrugs.
Nolene proceeds to activate her...Presence Discipline.
She levitates a few inches off the floor as a bright light illuminates the store.
The auras around her glow much brighter than any other objects in the store.
Nolene's eyes glow intensely, radiating a powerful energy.
So powerful is the light that Nolene emanates, that Maya shields her eyes with her arm.
The Infernal Servitor groans and cries out in fear as it's completely blinded by the scintillating light.
Björn's eyes widen in shock and his face goes pale.
Nolene shines bright like the sun itself.
She looks like a celestial being to Björn.
And he's terrified of her.
Her voice booms as she commands, "You hear me, asshole? I said GET OUT."
Björn is frozen in place for a few moments, almost entranced by the sheer radiance emanating from her.
His gaze is locked onto her, as if his very Unlife depends on it.
He can barely stand. His body is trembling. His knees are weak.
It's like he's afraid of her, or something.
The Baali bares his claws and fangs and lunges at the Presence-wielding "Tremere".
Nolene focuses her power and gazes at the Baali with such intense fury, that he feels he's about to catch fire!
Björn cries out and runs off towards the door. He jumps through a glass window and scampers away.
His Infernal Servitor quickly dissipates into thousands of shadowy fragments in the presence of the scintillating vampire.
Maya gasps and Nolene collapses onto the ground, panting and wheezing.
Presence is no Discipline a Tremere normally has access to. What the hell's going on here?
Maya helps Nolene up and asks, "Nolene, are you OK?" She looks her over and examines her wounds.
Nolene wheezes, "Yeah, just...I'm fine. I'm aight. I'm--"
Maya narrows her eyes, "Nolene, what you did back there--"
"It's a lot to explain--"
Maya interrupts, "We Tremere can't do that. Was it something you picked up from somewhere or someone?"
"You could say that, Maya..."
Maya quickly helps Nolene sit on a chair and asks, "Nolene, what exactly was that?"
"It's a long story."
Maya crouches in front of Nolene and inspects her wounds. She seems to be healing.
Nolene winces and says, "I'm fine, Maya."
Maya is surprised, "Was it Dominate?"
Nolene gulps and shakes her head, "No. It was--it was--"
Maya prompts Nolene for an answer. The Tremere Fledgling is genuinely confused (and a bit awed) at what she saw Nolene do.
Nolene sighs, "It was Presence."
Maya is even more confused now, "But as Tremere, we only have access to Blood Sorcery aka Thaumaturgy, Dominate, and Auspex. Presence isn't in our um...capabilities. At all."
Nolene lets out a strained chuckle, "Cuz I ain't Tremere, girl."
Maya gasps, "Nolene, how? Wha--"
Nolene puts her hand on Maya's shoulder, "I know you ain't the type that likes being lied to, so imma be real with you."
Maya furrows her brow, "Wh--But--How did you--"
"I'm Toreador," Nolene calmly states. She takes a deep breath.
She's telling the truth. No reason for her to lie now.
Maya shakes her head, "What, no!"
Nolene sighs, "It's true. It's a long-ass story. But, I keep my true nature a secret for a good reason."
She explains, "It's...complicated."
Maya shakes her head and sighs, "I--I don't understand. I thought all of them were driven out after Prince Geoffrey's execution. I--It doesn't make any sense."
Nolene gently pats Maya's shoulder, "Yeah, well, I'm the exception, I guess."
Maya grabs a half-broken chair and sits across Nolene, "How did you stay hidden for so long?"
Maya shakes her head, "I'm still not getting it, Nolene. HOW did you manage to keep this a secret from everyone?"
Nolene takes a deep breath and closes her eyes. She sighs.
She says, "The short answer is, your Sire. She's the one who gave me the idea when we first met."
"Uh...I'm not sure I follow."
Nolene ruefully chuckles, "Eleanor, she's a very...forgetful woman, y'know."
Maya pensively lowers her head, "Yeah, it's getting a bit concerning, to be honest. She's been acting kinda weird lately." She crosses her arms. Her expression is a bit glum. She looks a bit tired. Exhausted, even.
Nolene asks, "You need a drink?"
Maya shakes her head and asks, "So, how exactly does Eleanor fit into...all of this?" Maya seems to be more confused now. Her eyes dart about the room. She's not following.
Maybe this is all too much at once.
Nolene stretches both hands out, "Well, I DO run an occult store, and y'all Tremere are into that kinda stuff..."
Maya gets it, "Ah, so Eleanor assumed you were 1 of us?"
"Yep! At first, I was kinda taken aback, but with Geoffrey's head about to roll soon, I figured there was no harm in keeping up the façade and playing along." She chuckles. Her voice is still weak and strained.
Maya sucks her teeth, "Wow. That's...kinda cool, I guess. How were you able to keep it up for so long, though?" She seems a bit skeptical. It's understandable. This is a lot to take in at once.
Nolene's expression becomes serious, "I had a few secrets up my sleeve, if you will. I also knew some random stuff about your Clan--"
Maya interrupts, "Like you claiming to be a part of House Goratrix."
Nolene nods in the affirmative.
Maya asks, "Did Lucile ever suspect a thing?"
Nolene thinks for a few moments before shaking her head, "Nah. She mostly came to pick up packages for her um..." She forgets the word.
"Packages," Nolene concludes. She sighs and massages the back of her neck. She's still hurting, it seems.
Maya looks at the floor, deep in thought, "So, you're the last Toreador in this town, huh? Must be risky."
Nolene shrugs, "Eh, no one who knows who I REALLY am ain't around no more, so...it's aight." Her tone is casual, but her eyes betray her. There's a hint of sadness in there.
She's lonely. She's all alone in this town.
Maya gulps, "Nolene, I--I need to tell you something."
Nolene nods and beckons for Maya to get on with it.
"It's about Jacques--" Maya can't seem to find the words. Her hands are shaking. Her body is shivering.
Nolene narrows her eyes, "What about him?"
Maya decides how to delicately approach this topic, "Nolene, he was destroyed back in '99." She gulps. Her expression is grave. Her tone is urgent. Her voice trembles.
Nolene's eyebrows shoot up, "What?! But--but NO! HELL NO!" Her eyes are wide as saucers. Her jaw drops.
Maya can see the hurt in Nolene's eyes, "He was destroyed, Nolene. Lucile told me what REALLY happened on the 4th of July, during the Week Of Nightmares..."
And with that, Maya, to the best of her ability, recounts the harrowing and grisly events involving those 2 Methuselahs, and the cause of Jacques's destruction at the hands of that Methuselah woman.
Nolene covers her face with her hands and shakes her head, "NO, no, no, no, NO!" Tears of blood stream down her cheeks. Her shoulders tremble. She's devastated.
Maya quietly says, "I'm sorry, Nolene. I just didn't wanna keep it away from you anymore." She wraps her arms around the distraught Toreador.
Nolene pushes Maya back and shakes her head, "Y--You knew? HOW?!" She looks at Maya. Her expression is sad. Sad and angry.
Maya simply says, "They probably covered it up and blamed it on Wights, instead."
"Those bastards," Nolene growls.
Nolene glares at Maya, "Your Sire and Lucile knew about this all along and they never said a damn thing, huh?" Her voice is laced with resentment and betrayal.
Maya nods, "I'm afraid so." Her voice is almost apologetic. Her tone is grim.
She quickly adds, "I know you hate him cause you thought he left you and the town in its time of need, but the truth is...he was no match for that--that thing."
Nolene hangs her head low and says nothing. She's still shaken by this revelation.
Till now, she has harbored nothing but resentment in her heart for the man she loved.
Maya quietly says, "I'm sorry, Nolene. Eleanor made me keep it a secret, but I--I couldn't keep this one, you know?"
Nolene quietly responds, "Yeah, I get it." She takes a few moments to gather herself. She sniffles and wipes the blood from her face.
Nolene sighs, "All this time, I hated him cause I thought he was a no-good--"
Maya pulls Nolene in for a hug, "Shhhh, it's OK, shhh. He loved you till the end. I'm sure he did."
Nolene's eyes well up with tears again, "I don't--I don't know how to process this. I just...I never thought about this in years, y'know."
Maya pulls away and says, "We should probably clean this place up..."
Nolene gathers herself, "Yeah, yeah."
The Tremere asks, "Maybe your insurance will cover all of this, though?" She gestures towards the trashed shop.
Nolene chuckles, "I don't got no insurance. Never trusted those slimy motherfuckers, y'know."
"Oh, OK. Well, we should try. You're a good person, Nolene. I felt that you deserved to know what really happened to Jacques."
Nolene softly smiles and says, "Thanks, Maya. You're a pretty good friend."
Maya adds, "I just couldn't bare to see you holding that grudge in your heart, y'know." She gives Nolene a warm smile.
Nolene asks, "So, how'd you get all tangled up with a fed, anyway?"
"Ah, long story."
"So, you gonna tell the Prince about him?"
Maya ponders for a few moments, "Uh...I dunno. He kinda helped me with something, so a part of me still feels like I owe him or something."
Nolene gestures around the ruined shop, "Well, consider the both of you even."
Maya and Nolene spend the next few hours putting the store back in order.
Soon enough, Maya is exhausted. She rolls her shoulders and stretches her neck.
Maya rubs her eyes and yawns. She's very, very tired. Her legs still feel a bit sore.
Nolene leans on the counter, her head is spinning round and round. She's still not completely healed yet.
Nolene humorously remarks, "Heh, it's the best we can do. I gotta board up the broken windows and close the place down for a few nights." She lets out a chuckle.
She takes a moment to examine her wounds, which are almost fully healed, now.
Maya asks, "Do you have any idea what Björn was looking for?" She feels almost sick saying the Baali's name.
He really played her for a fool, she thinks.
Nolene shakes her head, "Yeah, I do. It was that wooden box your Sire gave me a few nights back. Some kinda...ritual dagger, I think?"
Maya's eyes widen, "Oh, that? What would a guy like him want with a thing like that?"
Nolene shakes her head, "I dunno, honestly. That's y'all Tremere's specialty," she chuckles.
Maya asks, "It's...in a safe place, right?"
"Yep, it's downstairs, where my Haven is. Under a cozy pile of old blankets."
Maya suggests, "We should probably move it someplace else. Having it here only places a massive target on your head. It's only a matter of time before he might come looking for it again."
Nolene nods, "But, where to? Eleanor gave it to ME for safekeeping."
Maya volunteers to keep the box in her Haven.
Nolene objects, "Nuh-uh. Nope. I ain't letting you put yourself in danger like that."
Maya argues, "Nolene, what are you gonna do? Hide the box in your shop forever? I--I think it's best if I keep it. And besides, he doesn't know where I stay."
Nolene assuages Maya's fears, "Look, next time that fed motherfucker comes back, I'll be ready for his ass."
To reinforce her point, she grabs a broken chair leg and twirls it around her hand.
She continues, "I'm not letting him walk all over me again, Maya."
Maya seems a bit nervous, "You're gonna stake him. A--Assuming you get close enough. Then what?"
The Toreador shrugs, "I got a big-ass knife 'round here somewhere..."
Maya gets what Nolene is hinting at.
Nolene continues, "I dunno, I'll improvise."
"OK, Nolene. Are you SURE that the box AND the dagger are safe?"
Nolene tilts her head to side and thinks for a few moments, "Yeah, yeah it's all good."
Maya asks, "Is there anything else you need, cause I'm feeling REALLY exhausted after all...this."
What happened here still hasn't quite sunken in for Maya yet. She still can't believe what she saw Björn do. It's almost incomprehensible.
Nolene replies, "Nah, I'm good. I got it. You go home and put your feet up, girl. I can handle this."
Maya thanks her and says she'll be back soon.
She goes out of the front door and notices Björn is gone. There's no trace of him anywhere.
Good.
Maya gets on her scooter and groans, her legs still hurt. She drives off.
As she drives through the town, she thinks about the only Toreador who wasn't destroyed or driven away from this town.
The fact that Nolene has been able to keep such a big secret, especially from the Prince himself, is almost unbelievable.
It's kinda cool, honestly.
The idea that she's the last of her Clan (in this town, at least), and that she's been alone and without friends and family for so long, is also a lot to wrap her head around.
Nolene cleans up her store and picks up the shattered glass and the damaged furniture and other stuff.
She closes her shop and goes downstairs to rest.
She has a few cuts and bruises, but otherwise she's OK.
Nolene heads to the bathroom and cleans up a bit.
She proceeds to grab a rather old picture of her and Jacques.
"Happier times," she whispers as she strokes the picture.
She takes it to the couch and looks at it. She lets out a little chuckle as she remembers that night the picture was taken.
Maya's back in her Haven. Out of her messy and flecked clothes, she's in her pajamas and she's sitting on her bed.
She's idly scrolling through Pinterest, trying to distract herself.
She can't stop thinking about what happened tonight. She's shaken up and deeply unsettled by it.
She takes a deep breath, lets out a sigh, and closes her eyes.
Meanwhile, in Ginny's Haven...
The Lasombra is at her table, penning a few letters to some contacts of hers.
Now that Father Jones is dead, she has no idea who's gonna move packages for her and the Clan now.
Simon did mention a much more "viable alternative," but he hasn't said much about it since then.
Either way, she's gotta find another way to keep in touch with those of her Clan.
A knock is heard on her door.
She gets up and goes to answer it.
Standing outside is none other than her Ventrue boyfriend.
Arman curtly bows his head and gives Ginny a quick peck on the lips.
She says, "So, what brings you here, huh?"
"Well, I was wondering if you'd like to go out with me tomorrow night?"
"I don't know, Arman..."
"I've been invited for the memorial gathering for the McMahon family," he says as he glances around Ginny's living room.
She shakes her head and snickers, "Yeah, I don't think I'm gonna be going to that."
Arman opines, "I still wish there were another way, but Simon seemed determined to...remove any perceived obstacles."
Ginny sighs and crosses her arms, "Well, that's ain't my problem, Arman. I kinda enjoyed myself that night, heh."
The Ventrue shrugs, "I understand, my dear. I just hope you're also enjoying the...consequences and extra scrutiny we've been under since then."
Ginny simply smirks.
Arman responds, "Well, it's no use changing your mind, I suppose. I do prefer to go with someone and well, you seem to be the only available candidate. Would you care to join me?"
Ginny laughs, "Nah, I'll pass, Arman."
Arman sighs, "Hmph. Fair enough. Is there anyone else you might know who'd be interested in going with me tomorrow? I wouldn't wish to go alone."
Ginny thinks for a few moments and smiles, "Well, you got Rolf..."
Arman shakes his head in derision, "My dear, the man is my Ghoul. Besides, he's never been the...most socially inclined person."
Ginny smirks and asks, "Hmm, well, there might be someone."
Arman's dead eyes almost light up, "Oh, who?"
"Simon."
Arman fixes his gaze on Ginny, "I don't follow." He has a confused expression on his face. He doesn't get it.
Ginny leans on the door frame, "Look, Simon can go as your plus-1 or whatever."
Arman lowers his head, slightly disappointed, "Hmm. Is there no one else? What about those twin sisters. Beth and the other one..."
Ginny cuts in, "Bella. Yeah, no, they...ain't too big on the Ventrue." She can barely keep the smirk off her face.
Arman lets out a soft sigh, "Hmph, well, I suppose I'll have to take Simon along, then."
Ginny shrugs in indifference.
Arman asks, "It's quite...ironic, isn't it, my dear?"
Ginny half-heartedly asks, "What is?"
Arman spells out the obvious, "The fact that Simon and his Coterie are the reason there's a memorial for the McMahon family in the first place, hmm?"
Ginny retorts, "We did what we had to do. Besides, we rescued pulled their son out," she rolls her eyes and sighs. She seems rather apathetic about all of this.
Arman responds, "Indeed. Indeed..." He thinks back to that barn where poor Jon was tied up as his own family tried to "fix" him.
Arman snaps out of his pondering, "Anyway, tell Simon to be ready by 7:30 PM. I suppose he is capable of arranging his own transport or would he like me to do it for him?" He doesn't even bother hiding the disdain and contempt in his tone.
Ginny chuckles, "Look, I'll let him know, OK? He'll be there, dont'cha worry. Besides, why are you even going?"
Arman raises his chin a bit, slightly offended by that question, "Why, to pay my respects, of course! It's only the right thing to do."
He pauses and clears his throat, "Well, there is also the fact that I have business interests that I must look after. And tomorrow night represents an opportunity to expand my...network, as it were."
Ginny snorts, "Heh, a buncha holier-than-thou assholes in the same place at..."
Ginny pauses and asks, "Wait, where is this ass-kissing fest, anyway?" Her tone is derisive and mocking. She can barely hide the smirk on her face.
Arman responds, "At Mayor Duncan's mansion, my dear. He's the one throwing this...gathering. In memory of his cousin and his family, of course. They did just suffer a...horrendous tragedy after all."
Ginny snickers, "Yeah, no kidding, Sherlock. Schmoozing with the power, huh?"
"Well, I still have my businesses to build. I have to ensure it keeps making a profit." The Ventrue's tone is dismissive and slightly annoyed.
The Lasombra says, "Speaking of building stuff, my chat with Eunice yesterday went...great."
Arman nods in approval, "Ah, I was about to ask about that. Has the Sheriff been...receptive of our proposition, hmm?"
Ginny smiles, "Yeah, she seems convinced. I probably need to smooth out a few more things, but the idea seems to appeal to her, I think."
"Good, and I assume that she's none the wiser of...my involvement."
Ginny seems a bit insulted by Arman's insinuation, "Look, pretty boy, I did the best I could without tipping her off. Or ticking her off. She REALLY is a stone-cold bitch."
Arman smirks, "My dear, I don't doubt your skills, but I was merely just...making sure."
Ginny changes the subject to what else happened last night, "So, about you and Prince--"
Arman angrily waves his hand in dismissal, "There is nothing to talk about. If he wishes to apologize to me, he knows my address. I shan't go crawling back to him like some sort of obsequious...servant!"
He continues, "How dare he hurl such accusations upon my personage! It's--It's--Hmph--" Arman can't bring himself to say any more about it.
Looks like his massive ego took a bit of a hit, huh?
Ginny shakes her head, "Look, just keep your pride in check, OK? We're SO CLOSE to making our dream a reality..."
She looks around to make sure no one's around, "The Sheriff's seat is up for grabs, and I'm going after it." She looks Arman dead in his eyes and nods, as if to reaffirm her statement.
Arman's eyes widen slightly at what Ginny just said. He can't quite believe his ears.
He gives her a sideways look, "Well, that would make 2 of us eyeing the same position, my dear. Are you certain it's even wise?" He leans closer.
Ginny chuckles and gestures to herself, "Well, Eunice likes me..." Her voice trails off as she plays with her blonde hair. She bats her eyes at Arman and gives him a little wink.
She continues, "She seems to be convinced of my...suitability."
Arman stifles a sigh, "Well, this is certainly interesting. I strongly feel that a Ventrue Sheriff would be far more preferable and well...fitting, to say the least."
Ginny sighs, "Oh, yeah? You know you'd just end up making enemies out of half this town."
Arman claps back, "As if you'd fare any better in that regard, Virginia..."
Ginny lets out an exhausted groan and sees no use in arguing with him, "Y'know what, let's just see what happens, alright?"
Arman concedes, "Hmm, very well."
Ginny inquires, "So, what are you gonna do about Lucas in the meantime?"
Arman replies, "In a matter of weeks, it won't matter what that man thinks of me, you, or anyone."
"Heh, I love it when you get all scheming, you know that?" Ginny purrs as she strokes the side of her Ventrue lover's cheeks.
Arman strokes Ginny's cheeks and looks deep into her eyes, "Lucas Nicolaides will be gone. So will his Clan. Permanently, hopefully." His tone is grim.
Arman whispers to her, "In fact, the next time I see him, it'll involve a certain...Ravnos conveniently caught doing something he ought not to be doing."
Ginny's lips curl up into a sly grin, "Hmmm. Yeah..." She playfully bites her lip.
Arman's hands roam down to Ginny's neck as he whispers, "Yes. Maya's friend will be losing his head soon enough, hmmm..."
He's whispering to her in a hushed tone.
His hands caress her neck and run down her arms, "Darren is just the perfect...fall guy, isn't he? Plus, we get to see Maya suffer for a bit, heh."
Ginny looks at him. She's staring deeply into Arman's eyes. They seem to have an almost...hypnotic effect on her.
She notices her distorted reflection in his eyes.
The Lasombra just nods as she feels the Ventrue's cold hands run through her hair.
His icy touch is strangely comforting, she thinks.
Arman continues, "Once we're rid of that oafish fool of a Ravnos Prince, we can take this town and mold it as we see fit. We...can do anything, my dear Virginia. Anything."
That last word echoes through Ginny's mind, almost hypnotizing her.
Arman is staring deeply into Ginny's gray eyes. He smiles as she tilts her head.
She's so beautiful, he thinks to himself.
His voice is calm, smooth, and soothing as he whispers to her, "The coming nights are just mere preludes to that glorious, inevitable night when WE shall be in control."
"Ohhh," Ginny moans, entranced. She doesn't even notice how she's acting. It's like Arman is speaking right to her very soul.
She tightly grabs hold of him and pulls him in for a deep, passionate kiss.
They continue their liplock. Their lips lock in an erotic embrace. They are locked in an eternal, eternal embrace.
Ginny runs her fingers through Arman's hair as his hands wander her body.
They continue to make out as Arman presses Ginny's body against the wall.
Ginny moans in pleasure as she feels Arman's tongue slip in.
"Ohh," she moans.
He lets his hand run up her leg and down to her hips as he continues to kiss her deeply.
After a few hot moments, Ginny pulls away, "Whoa...wow. Damn."
Arman takes a few moments to compose himself, "Well, spontaneity is something...I still have to get acquainted to." His tone is almost bashful. He chuckles nervously.
Ginny purrs, "Hmm, I think you do a good enough job, Casanova."
Arman smiles at his Lasombra lover, "I took the liberty of buying some sarees for you, my dear. I hope they are to your liking. It should be arriving soon."
Ginny lightly shrugs, "Eh, we'll see. It still looks kinda goofy, though."
Arman protests, "Nonsense. This is your opportunity to really look the part of an influential figure. Besides, it wouldn't hurt to expand your...wardrobe, so to speak. There's a lot more to you than what meets the eye, Virginia. Trust me, it WILL look amazing on you."
Ginny says, "OK, Mr. Fashion Expert. I'll take your word for it, heh." She playfully nudges her Ventrue boyfriend.
He opines, "You may be a Lasombra, my dear, but you needn't dress like you need to constantly blend in with the shadows and dark." He lightly chuckles at his little joke.
Ginny simply rolls her eyes and sighs, "Whatever, Arman..."
Ginny asks, "So, how's Nimbus doing under...new management."
"Ah, that. There's been a slight mishap with the renovations. It's to be expected. Lenny can take care of it."
Ginny crosses her arms, "Hmmm, and how's the...employee of the month?" Her tone drips with scorn and contempt.
Arman's eyes narrow and his tone gets serious, "Maya, well, she is mediocre to say the least. If I were her, I'd be dreading the upcoming performance reviews. Tsk, tsk," he shakes his head and clicks his tongue.
He continues, "Still, if she can pull her socks up, she might show some promise after all." His voice gets rather high-pitched when he says "promise".
Ginny looks at Arman. She doesn't say a thing.
"Why, do you feel like me and Leonard haven't been harsh enough on her? Hmm? Perhaps we can reevaluate her situation and lower her pay even more." He stares intently at Ginny, awaiting an answer.
She takes a deep breath and shrugs, "I just think Embracing her was a mistake. We should've dusted her when we had the chance. You know that the former Prince of this town is her dad, right?"
Arman purses his lips and slightly raises his eyebrows, "So, it's true, then? Geoffrey Calhoun IS indeed Maya's father. And her mother would be--"
Ginny dismissively waves her hands, "Some redhead skank from the Netherlands. They had an affair 30-ish years ago and well...y'know the rest." Ginny shakes her head and snorts.
She rolls her eyes and looks at the ground.
Arman reassures her, "It won't matter, anyway. It's not likely Maya will ever find out who her parents are."
He chuckles, "And even if she did, there's very little she can do about it."
"I guess," Ginny half-heartedly says.
Arman looks at his watch, "Hmmm, yes. I must be going now."
"Yeah."
Arman reassures Ginny yet again, "Look, Ginny. It doesn't matter. Maya is just some unimportant and lowly lifestyle writer for a rag with dwindling readership."
Ginny laughs.
He continues, "In time, she'll probably fall afoul of the Sheriff or what have you."
The Ventrue tugs on his suit as he adds, "Fledglings like her barely last, my dear."
Ginny's not entirely convinced, "Hmph. What about Eleanor, Lucile, and the rest of the Tremere in this town, hmm?"
Arman raises his chin, "Who cares about them? You've seen how Eleanor's been behaving these past few months."
Arman lets out a chuckle, "Chances are, she won't even remember Siring someone as forgettable as Maya. As for Lucile, well..."
Arman's not entirely sure what to do with her.
Ginny insists, "Something's gotta be done about her, too. She and Maya are TOO close. We should...remove her."
Arman stammers as he is taken aback by such a brazen suggestion, "Of course, I concur that someone like Lucile could pose a threat to our plans."
His tone gets serious as he asks, "I suppose you have a plan?"
The question lingers in the air for a few moments.
Ginny's voice sounds almost casual, "Eunice has got Lucile's travel routes, so I could have some of my buddies dust her like I dusted that Caitiff courier."
Arman is somewhat intrigued by the idea. He smiles. He strokes his chin as he contemplates this new idea.
Arman remarks, "Well, that is certainly...risky? Maya would be absolutely distraught that she lost someone so dear to her, though." His voice trails off. He seems somewhat hesitant to bring it up.
Ginny snaps at him, "Who cares?! We're trying to secure our existence here, Arman. If I gotta waste 2 chicks in love, then I sure as hell am gonna do it!" Her tone is gruff and condescending. Her gaze is sharp and intense.
She glares at Arman, "Besides, turning Lucile to dust should be easy as pie, heh."
Arman maintains his composure, "I agree that Ms. Goldstein needs to be dealt with, but we ought to consider...other options."
Ginny sighs, "What 'other options'?"
Arman looks at his watch, "We'll sit down and have a long talk about that at another time, my dear."
"Hmph. Whatever. I just wanna make sure all my angles are covered."
Ginny glances at Arman, who's fixing his tie. She shakes her head and lets out an exhausted sigh, "OK, whatever. Just get on with your...stuff."
Arman asks, "How's the...other thing going?"
Ginny nods, "Yeah, your help in maxing out all of Annette's credit cards has been fucking great."
Arman curtly nods, "I am glad to be of assistance. What's the next step?"
A wicked smirk forms across the Lasombra's face, "I fucked around with her car a bit, made sure it ran a bit slower, heh."
Ginny continues, "I'll admit, it was fun playing mechanic again, after all these...decades. Damn." She stops and thinks back to the last time she was fixing cars in that musty NYC garage all the way back in the 1980s.
Arman smirks, "I still cannot imagine a woman as beautiful as you in overalls, grease smattered all over her face, fixing cars. It would've been quite the sight, I'm sure."
Ginny playfully pushes him, "Yeah, yeah, take it in."
The Ventrue inquires, "After that, what then? Embrace her? Or do you feel that Ms. Lawson isn't...broken enough?"
Ginny casually responds, "I've been talking to someone about getting her house foreclosed on. Once she loses her place, I'll have her as good as dust. Once she's in the ground, she'll have nowhere else to go."
Arman claps his hands, "My, my, my. You Lasombra completely break down their wills, hmm? You do have a certain...charm to you, my dear." He gives her a small smile.
Ginny makes her point, "Look, I gotta make sure that Annette ain't a softie like Maya."
"Indeed. Indeed. Are you ready to Sire a Childe, my dear?"
Ginny nods.
Arman clears his throat, "Well, I really must hurry along now, my dear. As for Lucile, try not to do anything rash. Let's consider our options BEFORE we act, OK?"
"You don't have to worry about that, Casanova."
Arman smiles, "Hmm, well, goodnight, my dear." He kisses Ginny on her cold lips and walks off.
She sighs, goes back inside, and sits on her chair.
She plays with a strand of her blonde hair as she shuffles some papers on her desk.
Ginny twirls a pen in her hand and thinks to herself, "Annette Lawson, let's see just how...ready you can be when your entire world is about to be ripped to shreds, huh? Heh, heh."
Her tone is venomous and malicious as she ponders this thought. She smirks to herself.
This is the Lasombra way- break the wills of those you wish to Embrace, ruin their lives, sit back and wait to see how they react.
Then, swoop in and Embrace them (if they're still alive).
Her thoughts go back to the circumstances surrounding her own Embrace back in New York City.
The screams and the whispering shadows still haunt her dreams. Every time she passes a mirror or something remotely reflective, she sees flickering and shadowy hands pulling and tugging on her.
The faces she sometimes sees are hazy and indistinct.
Halfway drawn into the Abyss, she struggles to ensure that she doesn't get drawn in completely like many a Magister.
For now, she shakes her less-than-savory thoughts aside and goes back to penning letters to a few contacts of hers.
Meanwhile...
Annette's hands shake as she walks to the front door of Bernice's mansion.
She gulps and rings the doorbell. Bernice's text was...pretty straightforward.
She just told Annette to come over. That's it. No emojis, nothing.
Just a simple command.
Bernice herself answers the door. She's wearing a luxurious velvet bathrobe and her hair is down.
"Ah, Annette. Come on in, darling." Her tone is casual and warm. Bernice gestures inside with her hand.
Annette takes a few moments to process the last time she set foot inside the former mayoral candidate's residence.
Her thoughts drift to everything that happened that night.
She can still feel Bernice's fingers on her shoulders.
As Annette steps in, Bernice gets a closer look at her and says, "My, you look awful, darling."
Indeed, Annette does look a little worse for wear. Dark circles are under her eyes. Her skin is clammy and her posture is slumped a bit.
She's also a bit disheveled. Her clothes are a mess.
Bernice's strokes Annette's black hair, "I see you colored it, dear. Any reason why?"
Annette sighs, "I was tired of the brunette look. I uh...got your text. Y--You sure we should be doing this? Like, isn't it a bit too early?"
Bernice dismissively waves her hand, "Nonsense! All of those unfortunate...things have passed on, darling. Let's move on. It's time for us to move on as well, don't you think?"
Annette nods, "O--OK." She's a bit apprehensive, she must admit. Her heart is racing a bit.
Bernice fixes her gaze on Annette, "Is something the matter? Second thoughts already? Tsk, tsk." She shakes her head.
Her tone gets a bit harsher, "You should know by now that I don't tolerate late arrivals or people who back out at the last minute. My...clientele are even more eager for my services, despite...recent happenings."
Annette shakily asks, "They--they're still with you? Really?"
Bernice clicks her tongue, "What did I say about confidentiality and discretion, hmm?"
Annette's not entirely convinced, "You mean after EVERYTHING that's happened, you still got...clients?"
Bernice takes this as an insult and an affront to her profession, "How many dominatrices do you know in this town, hmm? Go on, tell me?"
Annette lowers her head, "I--I'm sorry, it's just been really bad for me these past few days."
Bernice doesn't seem interested, but Annette continues anyway, "First, I got a 100+ hours of community service because of what happened."
Bernice gestures for Annette to continue.
She goes on, "Next, I find out ALL my fucking credit cards have been MAXED OUT. I--I tried calling the bank and they said all my cards have been cancelled."
Annette lets out a sigh and shakes her head, "I--I'm totally fucked and I don't even know if my house is still in my name. I have no idea where I'm gonna live. It's just...shit." Her tone is derisive and mocking.
Annette slouches, "My car's acting all funny, so I tried popping the hood and fixing it myself, and well..."
She points to herself, "...it went about as well as you'd expect. I feel so weak, sick, and tired ALL the fucking time. It's like...like the anxiety attacks I used to get but way, way worse."
Bernice cuts in, "Well, what doesn't kill us only makes us stronger. That's something my father always told me." She nods in approval and smirks.
She continues, "How does Maya feel, hmm? Still keeping tabs on her?"
Annette growls when she hears that name, "Fuck her! I hate her so goddamn much, I hope something happens to her. And if she dies, it'll be even better."
Heh, Maya is technically dead, so there's that.
Annette continues, "What you did back in that Target superstore--"
Bernice holds up her hand, "I did it for me, not for you or anyone else."
Annette lets out a strained chuckle, "I fucking loved it. You showed that bitch who's boss, huh?"
She's referring to how Bernice slapped Maya in the Target superstore. The video of it apparently went viral.
"Indeed, darling. I have to say, I enjoyed it immensely. I'm glad we are on the same page." She smirks at her guest.
Annette feels a tingle in her gut as she recalls that slap, "So, uh, ready to...to pick up where we left off?"
Bernice's response is immediate and curt, "Of course, my darling. Just be sure of 1 thing- I WILL push you beyond your limits. Do you understand?" She stares directly into Annette's eyes.
She continues, "If you cannot keep up, you may leave. I won't stop you, and I certainly won't beg you to reconsider."
Her tone is stern and unyielding, "If you can keep up, however, well...we'll see." She bites her lip.
Annette's nervous, "Um...I--I guess I'm ready for it again. Ready to see what my limits are. I need the release, Bernice. I fuckin' need it, with everything that's going on around me, I just...I need it so bad, y'know?"
Bernice lets out a little chuckle as she strides towards the staircase, "I know you do, darling. Now follow me, dear. This is something you'll enjoy." Her voice is silky and smooth.
Annette clears her throat awkwardly, "Aghr. Sorry. You got anything to drink? Something to maybe...calm the nerves a bit, y'know?"
Bernice gives Annette a side-eye, "I thought you stopped drinking? Come now, darling. Surely you can handle something as simple as this without a drink, hmm? Come on, now. Upstairs."
Bernice shakes her head in disapproval, "I prefer my clients...sober. There was this younger man...who had trouble holding his alcohol..."
She immediately stops herself from divulging anymore info about her other clientele, "Ah, never mind about that."
Annette has a wide-eyed, desperate look on her face, "I just really want something to eat. Or drink. I can barely hold my breakfast smoothies, and well...I feel kinda shaky."
Bernice stops and turns around. She huffs, "Hmph, fine, I might have a few pick-me-ups around here somewhere. I have a feeling this'll be a...rather eventful session, so I want you at your best."
"Like drug--drugs?" Annette meekly asks.
Bernice clicks her tongue, "What kind of a woman do you think I am? It's a little bit of a cocktail, I suppose. All natural."
Annette mumbles, "Yeah. I can tell."
Bernice says, "There was woman that I was dating back at Yale. She...taught me the recipe..." her voice trails off. She appears distant.
She snaps back into the moment and continues, "Now, come along, darling."
Bernice walks to her kitchen and gets to making whatever it is she's making. She grabs a few herbs, oils, and some other ingredients from the cupboards and fridge.
She throws it all in a blender and blends it up. It smells a bit like mint.
Annette leans against the white marble countertop. She's tapping her finger against the counter. Her nerves are really shot.
She's feeling anxious and impatient. She's also getting a little horny. She's biting her lip in anticipation of what's to come.
She just admires Bernice's form for a while, her eyes are baggy and her mouth shakes a bit.
Annette's hands are shaking. Her breathing is heavy. Her heartbeat is accelerating. She's starting to sweat. Her pupils are dilating.
She gasps as Bernice hums, "Hmm. Here, drink this." She grabs Annette's hand and places the drink in it. Her hands are smooth and warm to the touch. Her fingernails are manicured and perfectly shaped.
Annette lowers her head and accepts, "Y--Yes, mistress."
Bernice pushes the glass higher up so Annette will drink it faster, "Drink up, all of it."
Annette chugs it down as fast as she can, ignoring the contradictory tastes dancing all over her tongue. The mixture of bitter herbs, sweet oils, and minty flavors are rather bizarre.
It's a lot for her to process at once.
The effect kicks in pretty quickly, and it feels...good.
Bernice's voice takes a more businesslike tone, "Before we get started, I'm going to need you to do something for me."
Annette's voice gets a bit eager, "A--Anything."
She's not quite as nervous and tense as she was a few moments ago.
Bernice gets a piece of paper from her table and presents it Annette, "Sign this."
Annette is confused, "But, but, what about the old contract?"
Bernice groans, "The...old way of doing things simply isn't viable anymore, especially after what happened."
She continues, "In case you have forgotten, I'm not doing this out of the goodness of my heart. There is an...understanding between us, yes?"
Annette shakily nods, "Yes, mistress. I promise to not tell anyone this time. N--Not even a single person. I promise." She's trembling. Her knees are almost buckling. Her heart is racing.
Bernice's voice gets stern, "Well, that's the last time I'll ask. And be sure of 1 thing- if you do, there WILL be consequences. You'll regret it, darling. I promise you." She stares sharply into her client's pleading eyes. Her tone is rather dark and serious.
Her presence seems almost menacing. She's giving Annette a bit of a death stare.
Annette's eyes widen in shock as Bernice keeps her gaze on her. She gulps, "Yes, mistress. Besides, I--I don't really have anyone to tell, after what happened, heh."
Bernice says nothing and goes to fetch a pen.
Annette gingerly takes the pen and signs the document with her shaky hand.
Bernice gives her a smile and nods, "This time, you have to mean it. Not a word about this to anyone, offline or online."
"Yes, I promise. A--And like I said, there really aren't that many people in my life after--ah, fuck, well, y'know."
"Hmm." Bernice walks over to her guest and lightly caresses her shoulders, "Well, in that case, let's move on to the next stage of our arrangement, hmm?"
Annette lightly shrugs, "No time like the present!"
The 2 proceed to head upstairs, back to that same room.
It's the same large, spacious room with a king-size bed, a dresser, and a walk-in closet. The walls are painted a light shade of blue, and the floor is carpeted.
The lighting remains dimmed down low enough where only subtle shadows remain visible while making everything appear almost mysterious.
Above the bed, there's a metal hook, with a rope tied to it. Next to the hook, there's a rack with several riding crops, whips, and floggers.
Annette gulps as she mentally (and physically) prepares herself.
Bernice strides over to the bed and says, "On your knees. Now."
Bernice sits on the bed as Annette gets on her knees.
The formal mayoral candidate plays with Annette's dyed hair, "The black suits you. It really brings out the color in your eyes."
Annette looks at the ground. She has a sheepish look on her face.
"I--I'm sorry, I can't really think straight right now."
"And why is that, hmmm?"
"Fucking Maya. I heard the bitch got her job back! How's that--how's that fucking fair, huh? SHE spilled the beans a--and ruined your career!"
Bernice nods and interrupts, "Indeed, you can't allow such a disgraceful incident to stand, can you?"
"What can I do about it?"
Bernice indifferently says, "That's for you to decide, darling. I'm just here to help you shed your...insecurities."
She strokes Annette's hair and cups her cheek, "And your inadequacies."
Annette looks up at her. Her eyes are wide and moist. She looks almost desperate for an answer.
Bernice smirks, "There's a few things you can probably do about it, but you didn't come all this way to talk about her, right?"
Annette sneers, "Fuck her. I--I heard she moved out--"
Bernice sternly commands, "Enough. I don't want to hear anymore about her now. I want you to think about...what's next."
"What IS next?"
"I want you to think about the way you hurt me," Bernice's tone is accusatory.
"I--"
"I want you to think about the way you just rolled over and let everyone walk over you without standing up for yourself," her tone is condescending and snide.
"I--"
Annette stammers, "I just couldn't lie when they started calling and asking about us. I just co--couldn't."
"Why not?"
"Because of what we did."
"You were afraid. You were afraid to spin the truth a bit, weren't you? You should've VOCIFEROUSLY DENIED ever sleeping with me, Annette. You should've shouted it from the rooftops!"
"I'm sorry, I just--"
"And now, she's probably getting the life you always wanted. She's getting the life YOU should've had, hmm?"
"If I ever see that redhead again, I'll fuc--"
Bernice holds Annette's shoulders tightly, "You're so angry, darling. You're angry at Maya, but you're really angry at yourself, hmm?"
"Why, though? She--"
"I know what she did. And 1 day, she will pay for what she did. To me, to you, to...us."
"But how?!"
"That's none of your concern. What's important is that you're here now, hmm?"
"I'll get her kicked out from Nimbus, get her fired, and--"
"Yes, yes, yes, but that's not the point."
Bernice gets up and gets a whip from the rack. She smirks and gestures to her bed, "You want to hurt her, don't you? You want to punish her. You want to make her suffer. Don't you?"
Annette gulps and nods.
Bernice strokes the whip and admires it for a few seconds, "Then, you'll need to think bigger than merely...getting her fired or whatever other childish plan you're concocting in that head of yours."
"I--I'll get my hands on all her records, her birth certificates, her fucking tax returns!"
Bernice clicks her tongue, "Oh, you delicate thing. You still have so much to learn. Tsk, tsk."
"I'll--"
Bernice commands, "Take off your clothes. All of them." Her tone is firm and unyielding.
"Right, OK."
Annette's fingers fumble around her t-shirt as she tries to remove it. She struggles a bit, "It's just--it's hard for me to see anything when my life's a fuckin' mess."
Annette grunts and groans as she struggles to unhook her bra, "Fuck, fuck, fuc--"
Bernice gently says, "Oh, don't you think I know how you feel? The world has certainly treated you quite poorly, hasn't it?"
She takes a few steps forward, "It's so unfair, isn't it?"
Bernice deftly undoes Annette's bra and slowly slides it off her.
Bernice strokes Annette's cheek and says, "Well, the world can be...dark at times, but the light at the end can be far brighter than you'd imagine, making everything worth it."
Annette's chest heaves as she catches her breath.
Bernice circles around Annette and continues, "You're so fragile, dear. So...breakable. So...moldable. I can help reshape you, mold you into something...better."
"Can you? Can you sh--show me the light at the end?"
Bernice's voice grows deeper, "Oh yes. I can do a lot more than that."
Annette's heart is racing as Bernice removes her underwear and tosses it aside.
Bernice gently runs her fingers across Annette's bare butt as she continues, "It's all up to you, dear. It's all up to you and what you decide."
She leans in closer and seductively whispers, "Opportunities like these are a rare commodity, and one should grab them by the horns and ride them into the sunset."
Annette lets out a faint chuckle, "That's the same thing you--you told me during our first lunch together."
"Is it?" Bernice looks genuinely amused.
"Yeah."
"Ah. It happened a week ago, yet it feels like an eternity has passed over our heads, doesn't it? It's a shame that...well, it's a shame that things happened the way they did."
Annette agrees, "Yeah, a real fucking shame. You were right about a lot of things, though. Y--You would've been a great Mayor. A great leader. Everyone loved you."
Bernice ruefully laughs, "Hm, yes. I certainly would've been the one that this town so desperately needs."
"I bet. If--if only those people could've seen the real you, the Bernice that I've come to know. Y--You would've been the perfect candidate."
Bernice strokes Annette's back, "Perhaps, but I've more or less made my peace with what happened. Besides, I'm not out of the game just yet. There's always...opportunities, dear. There's always opportunities."
Annette is confused, "Like...what? Politics, again?"
Bernice pushes Annette onto the bed and says, "Perhaps, but that's all in the future. You should be focusing on what's in the here and now."
She runs her hand across Annette's body and pinches her nipples.
Annette winces and bites her lip in pleasure.
Annette moans as Bernice's hand slides down her body and goes between her legs, "Ahhhh, Bernice..."
Bernice shushes her, "Don't talk. You need to focus."
She then asks, "Tell me, what is your biggest problem right now?"
Annette answers, "EVERYTHING. All of my problems are so...huge! No job, my credit cards are maxed out, my car's acting weird, I can barely get out of bed without being tired and nauseous. I just--I just can't even think fucking straight!"
"What a shame. That's why we're here, dear, aren't we?"
Annette nods.
Bernice strokes the whip, "This...is going to hurt."
Annette has a determined look on her face, her eyes almost popping out, "I want it to."
"This is going to make you feel so much better. Are you ready?"
"Yes, mistress."
Bernice brings the whip down across Annette's bare body. She yelps and moans in pain.
Bernice continues, "This is the beginning of the end. You are going to be a new woman. Do you understand?"
Annette meekly responds, "Yes, mistress."
Bernice strikes Annette again, this time with a little more force and intensity.
Annette lets out a groan. She's sweating profusely now.
Bernice goes on, "This is the only way you will ever achieve your goals. This is the only way you'll ever make your life...worth something."
Annette screams out in pain, "AHHHH, FUCK!"
Bernice's voice is calm and matter-of-fact, "Ah, yes, darling. That's right, let it all out. Just let it all out."
Annette's eyes are wet with tears, "What do you want me to do next, mistress?"
"Turn over and let me see that ass of yours," Bernice huskily growls.
Annette does as she's told.
"Very good, dear. Very good." Bernice caresses Annette's butt cheeks and strokes her back.
Annette looks...determined. She looks hungry. Her eyes are sharp and intense. Her posture is poised and ready.
Bernice slaps Annette's ass and says, "I want you to make me proud. I want you to make me...happy. Understand?"
"Yes, mistress. I--I promise."
Bernice isn't satisfied. She cracks the whip a few times. Her eyes narrow and her voice grows low, "Say it. Say the words, Annette. Tell me what you're going to do."
Annette shakes a bit, "I'm going to...grab the rungs of that ladder, like you told me to, a--and I'm gonna hold on tight."
Bernice nods, "Good girl. You know, you remind me of myself when I was your age."
"I do?"
"Indeed, I too had certain...difficulties. I too felt unfulfilled and angry. I had a rather troubled past." She pauses and debates whether she should disclose more.
Eventually, Bernice decides against it and simply says, "But, I don't let my past define me. It's what I do in the here-and-now that counts, or at least it should."
Annette stammers, "You--you're so amazing, Bernice."
Bernice clicks her tongue as she caresses Annette's butt, "You can be amazing, too. The question is, are you ready to take the plunge, darling? Are you TRULY ready to start...living your life?"
"I--" Annette's voice trails off. Her breathing is heavy and erratic.
Bernice whips Annette's butt, "Speak up, Ms. Lawson. I can't hear you under all that...meek indecisiveness." She brings the whip down across Annette's left butt cheek.
"Fuck!" Annette cries out.
She looks over her shoulder and says, "I'm ready, mistress. I'm absolutely ready to take this leap, for real." Her tone is almost frantic and desperate.
Bernice emphasizes, "You have to really want it. You have to be HUNGRY for it. You have to truly believe in your heart and soul that you can do it, and that you deserve it." Her voice is low and sultry.
It's seductive and inviting.
Annette responds, "More than fucking anything. It's all I've ever wanted--"
Bernice brings the whip down across Annette's right butt cheek.
Annette winces in pain, "Ahh!"
And again, Bernice strikes her again and again, across the left and the right butt cheeks. Each blow is sharper and more severe than the last.
Annette is breathing heavily now. Shivers run down her spine. Her toes curl. Her fingers grip the bedsheets tightly.
She's in a state of pure euphoria. The pain and the pleasure mix together in the most exhilarating manner possible.
To Annette, it's the best feeling she's ever felt in a long time.
(It's, understandably, not everyone's cup of tea).
Bernice bites her lip and elegantly gets off the bed. She saunters over to the rack and puts the whip away. She runs her hands across the various riding crops and floggers. She smiles as she contemplates which to use next.
Annette's body is red and raw.
Bernice lets out a faint "Ah," as her fingers wrap around the same exact riding crop she first used on Annette all those nights ago.
It hasn't even been that long, yet, it feels like an eternity since that...and everything that has happened since then.
Bernice asks, "Do you remember this, darling?" She slowly twirls the riding crop in her hands as Annette looks up to her.
"Oh, yes, mistress. I--I remember it well." Annette is smiling.
"Good," Bernice smirks, "Now, turn over. And stay like that." She points to her guest with the riding crop.
Annette does as she's told. She lies on her back. Her elbows are weak and her legs are shaking with anticipation.
She's breathing heavily. Her pupils are dilated. Her mouth is agape. Her heartbeat is accelerated.
Annette gulps and waits.
Bernice disrobes, revealing her voluptuous figure. She suggestively strokes her own breasts as she gets on top of Annette.
Bernice straddles her client and looks into her eyes. She slowly lowers her body and gently caresses Annette's shoulders, down her arms, and around her sides.
Her fingers linger on Annette's breasts for a while. She moves them further down Annette's body to her dripping wet pussy.
Bernice takes her fingers and places them in Annette's mouth.
"Clean them off."
Annette eagerly complies as she goes for Bernice's moist fingers and licks them.
She savors the taste and sucks on Bernice's fingers.
"Very good," Bernice's voice is seductive and alluring.
She says, "Don't worry, we'll get to that. Eventually."
Then, Bernice gently smacks Annette's chest with the riding crop.
Annette winces and moans, "Ahhhh, yes..."
Bernice smacks her again and again, each hit more intense than the last
Annette is gasping for air now, her chipped fingernails dig deep into the bedsheets.
Bernice's warm hand covers Annette's mouth.
"Shhh, darling. Shhh, it's alright."
Bernice queries, "Tell me, Annette. Do you know why I'm doing this?"
Annette, with her mouth covered, is unable to reply, so she just shakes her head from side to side.
Bernice clicks her tongue in frustration, "Wrong answer." She follows it up by striking Annette with the riding crop.
Annette lets out a muffled scream of pain and pleasure.
She's sweating. Her entire body is aching.
Bernice sighs, "I do this for many reasons, darling. I'm sure you know a few of them."
Annette lets out a muffled "Mm-hmmm," through Bernice's hand.
She's not entirely sure if she's meant to reply to that.
Bernice doesn't seem to mind the lack of verbal response, though, and continues, "It might be my...side hustle, something that I dabble in, but I do happen to be quite good at it, regardless."
Bernice continues, "And I'm not just good at it. I'm very, very good at it."
Annette tries to say something, but Bernice whacks her thigh with the riding crop.
She writhes and winces.
Bernice continues, "Do you wish to be as good as I am at this one day? Hmm? Do you think you have what it takes?"
"Y--Yes, mistress," Annette stammers.
Bernice's response is immediate and harsh, "I don't think so."
Annette protests, "But--but I can do it! I KNOW I CAN!" Her tone is a lot more assertive and less sheepish.
Bernice lets out a light laugh, "Good, very good."
Annette is confused, "Wha--?"
Bernice's sharp fingernails run across Annette's cheek, "You're learning to be assertive. Good. Good."
She's running her hands all over Annette's body, caressing her face, massaging her shoulders, squeezing her breasts.
Bernice runs the riding crop over Annette's mouth, "Of course, there's still a lot we have to work on. You still have a long way to go."
"Yes, mistress."
"Hmm, indeed," Bernice strokes Annette's black hair and her neck, "Your...spunk is something that I do enjoy, but you have so much room for improvement."
"O--OK. What else can I do?"
"Tell me, dear, what do you want from our sessions? I hope it's not to waste my time."
Bernice reminds Annette, "You're not the only one, dear. There are others who come to me, discreetly of course, for these...sessions. There are others who need this, some more than you. Some, more deserving than you, perhaps."
Annette gulps, "I--I want to be better."
Bernice pouts as she playfully taps the riding crop on Annette's forehead, "That's...all? You want to be 'better'?" She emphasizes the last word.
"I--I want to be a better me."
"Ah, well, I can certainly help with that."
The former mayoral candidate quickly brings the riding crop down on Annette's body, and then again.
Annette moans and writhes in pleasure and pain.
Bernice moves back a bit and strikes Annette's thighs and stomach, all with the riding crop.
Annette is practically screaming in pleasure, and her screams echo throughout the room.
It's a good thing this particular room is soundproof.
Bernice smirks, "Good. Let it all out, dear. Let it all out."
Annette screams like she's never screamed before. She's breathing heavily now. Her chest is rising and falling rapidly. Her fingernails are digging further into the bedsheets.
She's writhing around the bed, desperate for a release, desperate for more.
Bernice gladly delivers. 1 strike with the riding crop after another, in quick succession, to the left thigh, the right thigh, the stomach, and the breasts.
Annette is panting. She's sweating profusely. Her nipples are hard and erect. Her pussy is dripping wet.
Bernice says, "That's it. That's a good start."
"Oh, thank you, mistress," Annette shakily replies.
Bernice smirks, "Don't thank me just yet. There's still so much more."
Bernice fluffs her hair and shakes her head from side to side.
Annette is almost delirious with lust, "Oh, please. Please, mistress. More, more. I need more."
Bernice whispers, "Oh, I'm sure you do."
She leans in closer and whispers into Annette's ear, "Now, when I say 'come for me'...you come. Do you understand?"
"Yes, mistress," Annette nods.
"Very good. Now, tell me, do you have a safe word?"
Annette blinks for a few moments, "Uh...uh, no." She's having trouble focusing her mind at the moment.
Bernice chuckles, "Oh, usually people choose something positive, fond, or memorable as their safe word."
Annette's eyes widen in realization, "Oh, well, uh, mistress. I--"
Bernice smirks, "But, I would like to try something different--"
Annette interrupts, "Like the traffic light system?"
Bernice smacks Annette's thigh with the riding crop, "What did I say about interrupting?" She stares directly into Annette's eyes. Her stare is cold and icy. Her eyes narrow.
Bernice shakes her head, "No, darling. I want you to choose a word that repulses you, that disgusts you. It can be anything, really."
Annette asks for confirmation, "A--Anything?"
Bernice taps the riding crop against her forehead, "Anything, dear. Just be sure that you can't possibly imagine it. I want you to focus on how bad it is, how disgusting it is."
Annette nods, "Alright."
She spends the next few moments silently contemplating what the safe word should. Bernice just sits atop her, patiently waiting.
Annette is sweating and shaking. Her nipples are erect and her pussy is dripping wet. Her heart is pounding rapidly. She's breathing heavily. Her eyes are half-closed and glossy.
Bernice clears her throat and drags the riding crop across Annette's breast, "Anytime this century would be preferable, I'm not asking you to solve an equation, heh." She stares intently at Annette.
Annette gulps, "C--Can it be a s--someone?"
Bernice sighs and shrugs, "Of course, darling. As long as they are repulsive to you." She taps the riding crop on Annette's cheek. She's clearly losing her patience.
Annette's lips quiver, "Maya. After what she did, I feel sick when I think about her." She closes her eyes. Her stomach does a flip. She's disgusted with her former best friend.
Bernice remarks, "Ah, predictable. It's almost too easy, heh."
She smirks and pats Annette's cheek, "That's wonderful, darling. Now, do you want to keep going and see how far you can take it? Or do you want to invoke...Maya?" She raises her eyebrow and leans closer. Her tone is firm and unyielding.
Annette shakes her head and confidently answers, "I'm ready to come for you when you tell me to...mi--mistress." Her voice is low and raspy. Her heart is still racing. Her cheeks are red. Her lips are wet. She's trembling. Her muscles are tense and tight.
Bernice smacks Annette's stomach with the riding crop, "That's what I like to hear. Now, are you ready for the next level?" Her fingers are caressing Annette's body.
"As ready as I--I'll ever be."
Bernice tuts, "Tsk, tsk, I detect...hesitation in your voice." She whips Annette's stomach. It's a light smack, but it hurts quite a bit.
Annette gasps, "I--I'm sorry, mistress. I just feel a bit lightheaded, is all."
Bernice slowly nods, "Hmm, just don't go throwing up all over the place, or else I'll make YOU clean it all up, understand?"
"Yes, mistress. I promise." She gulps. Her stomach is churning and turning.
Bernice slowly gets off Annette and heads for the nightstand table.
Annette just lies on the bed, her eyes fixed on the ceiling.
Bernice takes a massive vibrator and walks back to the bed.
Annette is curious, "What--what's that?"
Bernice is expressionless, "What do you think it is?"
Annette squints in order to get a better look at what Bernice is holding in her hands.
The vibrator is about 10 inches long. It's covered in a thick layer of silicone and has multiple settings. It has 3 vibration speeds and 10 patterns, ranging from light pulses to intense pulses.
Annette gasps at how...huge the vibrator is. She gulps in anticipation of what's to come. Her pussy is throbbing. Her heart is racing. She's sweating profusely.
Bernice proudly brandishes this toy around as she explains, "I got this a few nights ago, discreet shipping of course. It's a lot bigger than the rest of my toys, but I think it'll be perfect for you." She winks.
Annette just gulps. She's a bit apprehensive, but she's also very eager.
Bernice presses the shiny on button and a low hum echoes throughout the room.
She continues, "I think it's probably the biggest toy in my...collection, heh."
Annette lets out a chuckle.
Bernice turns the setting up, causing the vibrator to rumble and shake a lot more.
Her client is squirming on the bed. Her legs are shaking. Her stomach is churning. Her heart is racing. Her fingers are gripping the bed sheets.
Bernice moves to Annette's side and runs the vibrator across Annette's chest, causing the former journalist to moan and writhe.
Bernice looks into Annette's eyes as she places the vibrator on her pussy.
Annette shivers and moans, "M--Mistress, fuck!"
Bernice seductively whispers, "Only when I say so, not a moment sooner? Understood?" Her voice is stern and serious. She taps the vibrator with her finger.
Annette nods and gasps, "I--I understand. Oooooooooooooh, fuck! That's soooooo good."
She's breathing heavily, her breasts rising and falling rapidly with each vibration. Her nipples are rock-hard.
Annette is shaking. She's sweating. She's breathing heavily. Her heart is pounding rapidly. Her pussy is dripping wet.
Bernice gets up and turns the vibrator onto its highest setting.
Annette bites her lip and shuts her eyes as she feels the vibrator being rubbed against her clit.
Bernice is looking around the room as she rubs the vibrator all over Annette's body.
She's moving it in circles around her pussy.
Annette's face is contorted in pleasure. A smile of satisfaction spreads across her face. She's breathing heavily.
She's moaning and whimpering.
She's begging for more.
Bernice keeps moving the vibrator around Annette's body, teasing her with the vibrator.
With a sharp grunt, Bernice shoves that thing inside her.
Annette screams in pleasure. Her back arches as she lets out a long, loud, and continuous scream.
Annette's eyes are half-open, half-closed as Bernice twists the vibrator like a key.
"Mmm, mmm, ahh, ahhh--AHHHHHH, mmmhhhh!" she moans.
Bernice moves the vibrator in and out of her client. It's a slow, steady rhythm at first, but it soon picks up and turns into a rapid thrusting.
Annette is breathing heavily, her face is red and her lips are wet, she's sweating profusely and her toes are curling.
Her entire body is tensed-up and about to explode at any moment.
Bernice leans in close and whispers, "Now, when I say 'come' you do just that. Not. A. Second. Sooner. Are we clear?"
"Mmmmm-nhhhhhnrgh..." is all Annette manages to stammer out.
Bernice's response is immediate and sharp, "What was that?" She whacks her client with the riding crop.
Annette screams, "O--Oh, mistress! YES! OOOOOH!"
Bernice smirks and slows the vibrator down and pulls it out, "Good. Good."
Annette is in a state of pure euphoria as the vibrator goes in and out of her throbbing pussy.
Bernice is grinning from ear-to-ear. She's loving this. She's loving watching her client come undone, right before her very eyes.
She's enjoying the view, and Annette is too far gone to even realize that.
Bernice scratches Annette with her fingernails, "Get ready, darling."
"O--Oh, mistress."
"That's it. That's a good girl. Ready?"
"F--Fuck, fuck, fuck, fuck!" Annette squirms and writhes all over the bed.
Bernice leans in closer to Annette, her hot breath right next to her ear. She whispers, "Come for me. Now."
"FUCK!" Annette screams.
Her body is shaking and her eyes are rolling to the back of her head. She convulses and screams and moans and grunts and screams and pants and she screams some more.
Bernice continues intensely thrusting the large vibrator into Annette's pussy, pushing her closer and closer to the edge.
She screams some more and the sensations are simply overwhelming.
She's sweating and shaking. Her fingers grip the bed sheets so tight, the fabric might rip at any moment.
Annette arches her back and lets out a long moan as she orgasms (on Bernice's command).
Bernice's face lights up in excitement as she sees her client's body tremble and shake and twist and turn.
Annette is screaming, moaning, and writhing all over the bed.
The vibrator is drenched in, well, it's obvious, isn't it?
Bernice slowly and carefully pulls the vibrator out of her.
Annette's chest is heaving, her breathing is heavy and erratic, "Ooooh, oh my god. Whoa."
Annette's face is flushed and her lips are wet. Her hair is a mess. Her makeup is a little smudged.
She's still sweating profusely.
Bernice's expression remains neutral, "Acceptable. Your timing...was a few seconds off. Tsk, tsk, but other than that, good job, darling."
Annette looks at Bernice, her eyes are wide and glossy, "W--What now?"
Bernice pats Annette's cheek and straddles her yet again, "Time for your reward, but I expect better next time."
For failing to come at the EXACT moment, Bernice takes the riding crop and whacks Annette's inner thigh.
Annette screams, "AHHHH!"
Bernice croons, "Close your eyes and relax. It's time for your reward."
Annette nods and does as she's told.
Chapter 20: Wraith
Many hours later...
The sun rises, casting a bright yellow light on the horizon.
It's early morning, and the birds are chirping outside. The sleepy town is waking up, getting ready for a brand-new day.
While the Kindred are fast asleep, the mortals awaken to face yet another day of struggles and strife.
Some will get up and do their best to live another day, while others will lie in bed, unable to find the will to get up.
Annette, for one, is lying on the bed, half-awake, half-asleep.
Bernice lies next to her, snoring, a bit of drool running down her lip.
The former mayoral candidate is resting her head on Annette's bare shoulder, fast asleep. 
Annette winces in pain as she touches a red mark on her thigh, "Ah! Oooof, that stings..."
She wiggles around as Bernice lightly snores in her ear.
Annette plays around with Bernice's hair, which is so silky and smooth. It's softer than the bed sheets, or at least it seems that way.
She gently caresses her former mayoral candidate's head, combing her fingers through her shiny hair.
On the contrary, Annette's hair is scraggly and messy, kind of like a bird's nest.
Annette sits up and stares at bedsheets, bewildered by all the dried stains. There are numerous sizes and colors, and they're all over the place.
That...was one helluva session, that must is certain!
Annette rubs her face a few times and forcefully exhales. She stretches and yawns, "Fuuuuuck." She takes a deep breath and looks around the room.
The memories of last night come rushing back to her. Her breathing quickens and she sits back on the bed and smugly tells herself, "I can get used to this."
Bernice groans and wiggles around as she slowly wakes up, "Hmmmm? What's that? Is everything alright?" She rubs her eyes and her voice is raspy and sluggish. She's clearly not fully awake.
Annette smiles, "Hey, you."
Bernice's face looks...well, it looks like she just woke up. She rubs her eyes, yawns, stretches, and casually replies, "Hey, yourself."
She caresses Annette's back and places a light kiss on her cheek.
Some sleep crust falls off her face and onto Annette's lap.
Bernice playfully taps Annette's nose, "Not bad. There's still room for improvement, but you're getting there, Ms. Lawson. You're getting there." Her voice is low and sultry. Her eyes are narrowed and sharp, her stare is intense.
Annette weakly smiles as she scratches her head, "T--Thanks? I guess? I still have a lot to learn."
She gently caresses Bernice's chest and looks into her eyes, "I--I'm ready. Really, I am."
Bernice loudly yawns, her hot breath reeking of mint. She says, "I know. I can see that." Her tone is matter-of-fact. She stares directly at her client.
Annette looks to the side, feeling a bit shy about something.
Bernice picks up on this and directly asks, "What? Why the sudden change of demeanor? Is something bothering you?" She turns to face Annette and places a finger underneath her chin and lifts it up, forcing eye contact.
Annette gulps, nervously, "I know you usually charge for this, but I'm in--in no position to pay for it--"
Bernice clicks her tongue, "Oh, stop. Stop. I took you in because you...remind me of myself when I was your age. When I was at rock bottom."
Annette is confused, "What do you mean?"
Bernice clears her throat, "I mean, you have a lot of potential, that much is apparent. But, you need to learn how to speak up and stand up for yourself."
She playfully taps Annette's shoulder, "We'll get to that later. Don't you worry."
Annette sighs, "It's just a really bad time now."
"Yes, you told me so. But, don't worry, it gets better--"
Annette abruptly cuts in, "D--Does it? I mean, I hope it does, but--"
Bernice cuts her off, "I understand that things are tough right now, but there's a long way to go until you become the kind of person you want to be. You just have to hold tight and keep swimming. Understand?"
Annette nods. Her response is...meek.
Bernice looks to her client with a mischievous smile, "Don't worry about the money. Besides, you would never be able to afford my prices, heh." The last part sounded condescending and snooty.
Annette shifts uncomfortably, "Y--Yeah. Of course, you're right." She's lost her confidence now. Her body is rigid. Her fingers are fidgeting. Her lips are quivering.
Bernice arches her eyebrow, "What's gotten into you?"
Annette vaguely says, "So, your uh...other clients are all rich, famous, powerful types, huh?"
Bernice sharply tuts, "Do I look like the kind of person who would willingly part with such information?"
Annette sheepishly replies, "N--No. I just thought..." Her voice trails off.
Bernice shakes her head and sighs, "Like I said last time, my clients value my discretion. Can we please just leave it at that? YOU'RE special, they're...business. No more, no less." She's staring directly into Annette's eyes. She's serious about this.
"S--Sorry, yes. I--I guess a part of me is just a lil curious about the woman who would've been Mayor."
Bernice groans, "Don't remind me about that. I've spent the last few days trying to forget about that."
Annette is curious, "You mean, you wish--" She stumbles over her words.
Bernice replies, "Well, it is what it is, but I would've been a great fit for this town."
"Yeah, sure."
Bernice vaguely gesticulates, "And, I would've brought in the much-needed reforms this town desperately needs, too."
Annette sarcastically remarks, "No one here seems to think that."
Bernice angrily raises her voice, "It would've happened! I--I would've led this town into glory!" She looks to the side as her eyes get all teary.
Annette simply nods, "Well, I guess so..."
Bernice just stares at the corner and clenches her fist, "That stupid redhead 'friend' of yours just had to go and tell the whole town about it, didn't she?"
Annette feels a pang of guilt as she stays silent and awkwardly looks away.
Bernice lets out a sharp, raspy sigh.
Annette remarks, "Well, I mean, she didn't know about...this, right, so yeah..." she lets out a weird grin, trying to ease the tension.
Bernice is still not amused, "That little bitch didn't know, but my reputation will be forever tainted thanks to her loose tongue."
She shrugs and continues, "Now you understand why I slapped her that night."
"Heh, yeah."
Bernice doesn't seem to have heard that. She continues, "That little wretch still has the gall to show her face around this fucking town and act like nothing happened!"
Annette opines, "She was always a bit ditzy, yeah."
Bernice's expression darkens, "You know, Annette, even I wish she were dead..."
Heh.
Annette nods in agreement, "She ruined both our lives."
Well, Maya is technically dead. And fast asleep as the sun continues to shine.
Bernice shoots a glare at Annette, "Women like her...they're not meant to be anything, really."
"Really?" Annette's voice is a bit hoarse and dry.
"Mm-hmm. I've known people like her in my day- they just flit through life, showing no ambition or drive whatsoever."
Annette clears her throat, "Ah, yeah, yeah."
Bernice nods and continues, "They're...takers. They take and they take, without ever giving back."
Annette concurs with a nod as Bernice gets off the bed and puts on her robe.
Bernice goes on, "They have this...ghetto mentality, you know?"
She sardonically shrugs, "Weak. And pathetic."
Whoa.
Annette's not entirely sure what that was about. She furrows her brows, "'Ghetto mentality'?"
Bernice dryly responds, "Yes. It's a term my parents and grandparents often used."
"Oh, right, suuuuure."
Bernice asks, "Is something the matter?"
Annette shrugs as she gets off the bed and looks for something to put on.
She lets out a faint "OK," as Bernice fetches a robe for her to put on.
Annette says, "I dunno, Bernice. What you said sounded kinda ra--"
Bernice raises a stern finger in her face, "How about some green tea, dear?"
Annette nods, "Right, yeah. Anyway, I don't know, what you said, it just sounded really uh...racist."
Bernice stares daggers at Annette, "Are you accusing me of something?" Her tone is ice-cold. Her stare is icy. Her eyes are narrow and sharp.
Annette is speechless.
Bernice asks, "What gave you that idea? For god's sake, I was running as the Democrat primary."
"Y--Yeah. I know. I just think that all that talk about 'ghetto mentality' is a bit...y'know."
Bernice dryly scoffs, "That's the problem with people today. Everything sets them off. If you say something, even in jest, that person thinks that you're calling them out or personally attacking them. It's such a shame."
"I--I agree, I think," Annette scratches her head as she feels the silkiness of the robe against her dry skin.
Bernice lets out a slight sigh, "I got into politics to give back to this great nation. I've devoted most of my adult life to it, in 1 way or the other. And for what? Some no-good redhead to go around undoing it in seconds. Gah! The very idea!"
Annette lowers her head, "I'm sorry, Bernice. I guess I should've picked better friends."
"Hmm. You know, it's not all your fault, darling. You were blinded by that whatever you saw in that girl, but you're getting better now, aren't you?"
"Maybe..." Annette's tone betrays her uncertainty.
Bernice just nods. She's staring intently at her client.
Annette looks to the side as her eyes fall on the riding crop and whip rack. Her face lights up as she bites her lip.
Bernice notices this, "You enjoyed it, didn't you? I can see you blushing a bit."
She tuts and smirks, "You're not being very discreet."
Annette's face turns red as she looks away and sheepishly answers, "I--I mean, I'm still getting the hang of this whole BDSM thing, but yeah, I'm not gonna lie, it was fucking awesome."
Bernice chuckles, "That's the spirit, darling. Come, let's go down. I'll put some green tea on and we can talk a bit."
"Alright."
Annette heads for the stairs as Bernice goes into the kitchen to prepare some green tea.
A few minutes later...
Annette clutches the fancy porcelain teacup with both hands and gently blows on it, "Fuuuuck." She lets out a big sigh. 
She then takes a sip of her tea, "Mmm, delicious."
Bernice smiles as she slowly sips her own cup of piping-hot tea, "Indeed, it is. This is some of my favorite tea, I'll have you know. I import it from this little place in Thailand."
Annette playfully remarks, "I don't know what they do differently, but it tastes pretty damn good." She takes another sip of tea. It's so relaxing and comforting.
The warm feeling from the cup is soothing.
Bernice sits up a bit and straightens her back, "Annette?"
"Hmm? Yeah, what is it?"
"Do you know why I told you to choose something...different as your safe word?" Bernice leans forward and rests her elbows on the table. She stares directly into her client's eyes.
Annette squirms a bit, "Well uh...so I'd be deterred from using it, I guess." Her response is a bit mousy. She's feeling a bit uneasy about the whole thing. Her toes are curled and her fingers are fidgeting. Her grip tightens around her teacup.
"Not necessarily, but her very name does repulse you now, doesn't it?"
Annette groans, "Hmph, yeah, It was just 1 bad thing on top of a string of other bad things."
Bernice just nods, her expression unreadable, "It is what it is, darling..."
Annette sighs, "Yeah, I guess so. F--For what it's worth, I'm sorry about well y'know--" She lowers her head.
Bernice interrupts, "Tch. There's no need to keep apologizing."
"Hmm," Annette goes back to sipping her green tea as an awkward and tense silence lingers in the air.
Bernice clears her throat, "You know, mint chocolate chip ice cream disgusts me. I don't know why, maybe it's just a personal preference, who really knows?" She looks away as she scratches her chin.
Annette blurts out, "Uh...OK? Yeah, that's a bit random, but sure, I guess so? I'm not too big on um...beetroots, yeah...beetroots. Ugh," she makes a disgusted face as her expression turns sour.
Bernice seems amused by all this, "Beetroots, hmm?"
A small smile spreads across her lips as she gets up from the chair, "Well, I don't want to waste your time, dear." Her voice is a lot lower. It's more sultry and alluring.
Annette's expression falters a bit, "B--But aren't we gonna take a bath together, li--like last time???" Her eyes are wide with confusion.
Bernice shakes her head, "As much as I'd like that, I have to take care of some work today."
She puts 1 hand on her hip and raises her teacup with the other, "You should probably get dressed and go."
Annette is crestfallen, "Oh, right..." She puts her own cup away, "So, uh...will I be able to come by again? I--I mean when's our next session?"
Bernice replies, "As I'm sure you know by now, darling, YOU are not my only client. I have to make arrangements with my other clients too."
Annette lowers her head, "Right, right, sorry, I just wanna--wanna do it again. That was a really intense session and it--it got my blood flowing, so to speak, yeah. It's all still so new and exciting, y'know." She chuckles in an awkward and nervous manner.
Bernice nods, "Yes, yes, first-timers like you always start out on a high note. The question is: can you keep that up till the end, hmm?" She puts her cup down and arches an eyebrow.
Annette nods vigorously, "Yes. YES!" Her response is immediate and unflinching.
Bernice bites her lip, "We'll see about that. Now, go, get your clothes and leave."
Annette gets off the chair, "Right, sure, sure." She sheepishly scratches the back of her head as she slowly makes her way upstairs to get her clothes.
Her palms are sweaty and her heart rate is accelerated. Her stomach is doing flip-flops and her eyes are wide open. She feels lightheaded and dizzy, but she tries her best to steady herself as she grabs her clothes off the floor.
She hastily puts them back on and throws the robe she was wearing onto the bed.
Annette inspects the bed and remarks, "Whoa, it must've been one helluva night, huh?"
Annette walks out of the room and a thought (that has been fluttering in her mind since last week's session) comes to mind. She looks around, searching for Bernice, but she doesn't seem to be in sight.
Annette frowns and licks her lips as she tiptoes and snoops around the other rooms. The mansion is huge. There are SO MANY rooms.
Most of them appear clean, furnished, and well-kept.
Annette peers into 1 particular room, which appears to be an office of sorts. She slowly goes inside. There's a laptop, a computer, a printer, and a large, albeit, old-looking safe.
Bingo.
In all likelihood, that safe is where Bernice keeps her client list.
Even after all this time and all that's happened, Annette still wants nothing more than to get her grubby hands on that list and do some more...digging, as it were.
Annette knows better than to run over to the safe and start frantically spinning the dial and twisting the handle, hoping it would open up.
Nope, nothing good can come from such a direct approach, except for a tight slap (or worse) across the face from Bernice, that's for damn sure!
Annette calmly inspects the safe for any potential weaknesses or openings that she might exploit in order to get the drop on the former mayoral candidate.
Then, she instinctively feels her cheek as she remembers the video of Bernice slapping Maya in the Target superstore. A chill goes down her spine.
Annette sighs and decides to look into some "Safe Cracking 101" in her free time (whenever she gets any, that is).
She wants that client list and she is determined to get it, regardless of whatever it takes!
It's the perfect opportunity for her to find out more about Bernice and the kind of people she "plays" with.
For now, however, Annette puts these restless thoughts to the back of her mind and slowly closes the door.
Her heart flutters with excitement as she makes her way down the stairs, trying to remain steady on her feet.
The excitement of going back for another session with Bernice, mixed with the rush of snooping around her house like some...cat burglar has sent Annette's mind and body into a state of quasi-euphoria.
Bernice is leaning against a door frame, with her arms folded. She asks, "What took you so long?"
Annette squeaks and looks away as her cheeks turn a bright shade of pink.
"I asked you a question..."
Annette gulps, "I was struggling...to um--uh--"
Bernice raises her chin slightly, "I don't have all day for your ums and uhs."
Annette rubs the back of her neck, "I was uh...struggling to find my bra. Y'know, it kinda went under the bed." She nervously chuckles as beads of sweat form on her forehead.
Bernice arches an eyebrow as she doesn't move an inch, "Really?"
Annette fidgets as her face gets redder by the second. Her fingers are shaking.
Bernice ominously says, "You do know that my mother writes field manuals that agencies like the FBI and the CIA use." Her voice is low and menacing.
Annette blinks.
Bernice's face darkens as her stare hardens, "So, I'm well aware of all the...telltale signs of a person who is withholding something."
She takes 2 steps towards Annette, "Did you know that?" She cocks her head to the side.
Annette's lower lip quivers, "I--I uh..."
Bernice folds her arms and sighs, "Tsk, tsk. Out with it."
"I--I was..."
"The more you hesitate, the harder it gets for you to hold it together." She glares at Annette, a dangerous look in her eyes.
"I--I was touching myself. I'm s--sorry. That's why I took so long." Her voice trembles and cracks.
"Really, now?"
"I--It felt really good, and I needed to release all this...energy I felt, so y'know I--"
Bernice's lips form a small, but naughty, smile. She cackles, "A quick top-off before starting the day, hmm? I get it. That's very cute."
Annette feels a warm, tingly feeling inside her chest and her heart rate quickens.
Bernice seductively says, "Oh, you are really a special one, aren't you?"
Annette says, "If I get extra cash, I should probably pay you--"
Bernice dismissively waves her hand, "I'll waive any fees, darling. Only because you're so...special and unlike the rest." Her smile widens.
"R--Really?"
Bernice chuckles, "Don't read too much into it. I just see...something in you."
She squints at Annette, "A potential. A hunger."
Annette's lower lip trembles.
Bernice advises, "Stay hungry, Annette. Always be hungry, never satisfied with the ordinary. And then...then you will do great things."
Bernice firmly adds, "Always. Stay. Hungry." She smiles at Annette, a smug expression on her face.
Said by someone who has never experienced a day of food insecurity in all her privileged upper middle class life.
Annette nods, "Yeah, I'm actually kinda hungry right now."
Bernice callously remarks, "There's plenty of diners in this lovely town of ours, and you do know how to cook, right?"
Annette chuckles, "H--Heh, yeah." Her expression is neutral.
She walks down the remaining steps and towards the front door, ready (or as ready as she can be) for another day of community service.
Bernice grabs Annette by the wrist and turns her around.
Bernice wraps her arms around her client and stares deep into her eyes.
Bernice softly asks, "Are you alright? Really, are you?" She stares at Annette, searching for answers.
Annette shyly looks away, "It's just been a lot, y'know. After the whole crashing my car into Nimbus thing, I--I guess I'm just trying to piece myself back together, so to speak."
Bernice nods, "It's tough. Life can be hard." She runs her fingers through Annette's black hair and grimaces at how much dandruff is there.
Annette lets out a chuckle, "Y--Yeah. But it gets better, right?"
Bernice responds, "It sure does, darling. I'm very glad I got to see your...true colors, heh." She places her hand on Annette's cheek.
Annette nervously looks to the side. She gulps as her face gets flushed.
She quickly leans forward and kisses Bernice.
Bernice is surprised by such a bold move and accepts the kiss.
Annette pulls back after a few seconds, "S--Sorry about that."
Bernice playfully taps Annette's nose with her index finger, "No worries, darling. You're learning, that's good."
"Yeah, that's cause I got a great um...teac--no, mistress, heh."
Bernice chuckles and shakes her head as Annette steps outside and into the sunlight.
Annette closes the door and Bernice leans against the doorframe, staring at the ground.
She watches Annette sluggishly go to her car and start it up. The engine revs and the car slowly drives off into the distance.
Bernice just shakes her head, a smug expression on her face, "Oh, Annette. You stupid girl..."
The sun is bright, shining down on her and the road ahead as Annette's car sputters
"Bernice, Bernice, Bernice, oh, i just gotta keep up the whole clueless girl routine long nuff to get that list, then, heh, then...i already got dirt on u anyway, ghetto mentality, huh, yeah, sure...
the soon to be lasombra and ventrue already plotting against each other. how...quaint. they're a perfect fit for their respective clans.